Into Forever
by Moonlight-Lullabies
Summary: Nightmares intertwine with Sarah's waking life in a struggle to find what's real and not when another Fae King threatens her very life and Sarah's loses ground when her original view of Jareth keeps swaying. What's real when everything else is a lie? J/S
1. From Childhood's  Hour

**AN: 'Ello there peoples! This is my first Laby fanfic so please be gentle! I promise if you get past the first chapter it gets better. The first is rather impersonal but it's mainly to bring everything up to date from the day after the Labyrinth to the night she re-enters. If you have any advice it would be deeply, greatly appreciated. On another note I have been obsessively reading every Laby fic I can get my fingers on but still have a little trouble naming what's what. Also, if you think I'm plagiarizing please keep in mind it is unintentional. There are seriously a lot of fics out there. I can't read 'em all, and there are only so many topics to cover with 'The Labyrinth'. So message me and I'll figure out a way to change so there are no hard feelings. Read, review, and most definitely enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned 'The Labyrinth' would I be writing fanfics? Nope, but there would have been a completely different ending for the movie. ;-p**

There was a noise, an incessant whining that kept nagging at Sarah Williams' brain, trying to bring her out of her dreams. When she opened her eyes they were filled with the image of her bookshelf full of stuffed animals, only there were a few added decorations…

Sarah paused in half asleep thought, her brain still struggling to catch up. _But there were no other stuffed animals to add…_then anger rose in her belly and she quickly grabbed her pillow out from under her and chunked it at the bookshelf, where, she figured out then, the whining had come from also. Along with it came the memories of the night before, of the Labyrinth, rescuing Toby, and of the Goblin King, her friends, and the celebratory party afterwards.

Creatures yelped and scurried, laughing deviously. Sarah glared in their direction and rolled out of bed. "Can't you guys leave me alone for one minute?"

There were more tee hees and a few snorts coming from the creatures on the floor, on the ceiling, and in every nook and cranny they could have impossibly occupied. _Goblins, always the comedians, well, at least they think so._

"Does Milady wants us to leave," asked a small female with a scarf around her head like a bonnet.

"Yes please. I have to get dressed you know, and no SPYING!"

To anyone overhearing they would think she was crazy but Sarah knew now never to take things for granted, especially the unique friendships she had developed with all of the Labyrinth's inhabitants, aside from the snide, sneering, cocky, devilish Goblin King Jareth, who only wanted to rule her, make her and her brother slaves, and otherwise trick Sarah into a false belief that he wanted her. _Me, I'm a sixteen-year-old girl, what could he possibly be to me now? Like I'd believe it, I've learned that much._

Sarah scrambled to get ready, hearing her dad and Karen rustling about in their room. Sarah could also hear little whimpers coming from Toby and suddenly Sarah wanted to run to him; fear sent a thrill down Sarah's spine as she imagined Jareth returning to claim his lost prize.

In a sudden hurry Sarah took a shower and got dressed, heading downstairs where Karen was throwing together their breakfast. Sarah suddenly felt ashamed as she thought back to the previous day. _Well there really is no excuse for how I behaved myself; like a little child. If I've learned anything at all it's that I need to listen and stop making excuses; Even though Karen abuses her station._

Toby glanced over at Sarah from his highchair and erupted into a squeal as he held out his little arms to his big sister. Sarah smiled and walked over to him, straightening his messy blond hair.

Karen glanced over at Sarah with raised eyebrows and Sarah just shrugged and took her seat.

"Karen I would like to apologize for my selfish behavior," Sarah started, guilt lacing her voice, causing her usual melodramatic tendencies to be slightly exaggerated. "I was being selfish and rude, and well, a child. I really should talk to you more about what I want, but you should listen as well. Even if I did have a date you wouldn't have known had I spoken of it and so from now on I propose before you and dad make any plans for the weekend have a baby sitter on call in case I myself have plans as well."

Shockingly Karen nodded in agreement. Sarah and Karen used to talk all of the time. Sarah used to hold no grudges over her father marrying her, seeing as Sarah's mother had left them for a life on the stage. Lately though, Sarah had begun to act out like a normal teenage girl riddled with hormones. Now as Sarah sat in front of the woman she felt humble. After all she had been through she knew better.

So that was the beginning of Sarah growing up, a simple apology after her night of growth intellectually into a mature young woman. She reconciled with her step-mother and began to form a lasting bond with her young half-brother Toby.

Robert and Karen were baffled by the change in Sarah, whom overnight went from being a spoiled and selfish child to a maturing young woman.

Sarah though, became more and more obsessed with the Labyrinth. She began to write down story after story about the Goblin Kingdom. She also began dressing up in what she dubbed 'Fae inspired' clothing, which were pretty clothing items but they were different. Sarah also began to withdraw from other kids her age even more than what she used to. She just knew she had to find a way back there.

It just seemed to Sarah that she couldn't fit in with other 'normal' people. She had experienced magic and now she just couldn't accept a normal life, and then a few weeks after the events that had happened Sarah sat in her room and for the first time since that night she peered into her mirror and uttered a single word, 'Hoggle.'

In the blink of an eye her friend appeared from the other side of the mirror. He looked better than he had the weeks before, happier even. "Well now, looksie here if it isn't Miss Sarah, not wishing away your brother again are ya?"

Sarah grinned, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I missed you too."

It was Hoggle's turn to become bashful as he looked downward. "I never said nothing bout missin nobody."

The little dwarf was an open book even in denial and Sarah couldn't stop herself. Before she even thought or questioned the action she reached through the mirror and pulled her friend into a big hug.

Startled, Sarah pushed the dwarf back. "Hoggle, what did I just do?"

Hoggle looked confused. "Whad'dya mean ya don't know? Don't you know anything Sarah? You beat tha Labyrinth, you were the first person ever to, so well, ya know." Now Hoggle looked down, sided to side, and anyway but not into Sarah's piercing ever changing eyes.

"What Hoggle?" Sarah demanded, reaching out and shaking the dwarf side to side.

"Wells wes all didn't really know what would happen ta be honest." Hoggle spoke slowly; Sarah's eyes were blazing with curiosity.

Hoggle shook his head, "I mean it had never happened before. So how could we know that-."

"Hoggle just spit it out already!" Sarah almost yelled, exasperated, aware her dad and Karen could be listening.

"Cuz, yous was just a runner, albeit one that Jareth was, well never mind that, but wes didn't think nothin of it and he was just doin whats he knew best. Remember what I said? Even if you get to the center of the Labyrinth you'll never get out again. In more ways than one lemme tell yas. First His Majesty granted you with the power ta get to the labyrinth among other things and then he decides to gift ya when ya won. His Royal Ratness granted you with power, as much power as himself in fact, and he was a born Fae. I guess since yous his equal he thoughts yous should come back once in a while, gives him a challenge. He gets tired of just the goblins ya know."

"You mean I can come back?" Sarah's eyes lit up like diamonds and a big smile bedazzled her face. Hoggle would have thought she would be covered in glitter were she Fae.

"Of course ya can, yous has the power. I'm guessin alls ya have to do is enter through the mirror portal you created that night ya came back."

Sarah plopped down onto her bed, a finger stroking her delicate chin, deep in thought. "So Jareth _wants _me to come back? I bet it's just to get back at me for telling him off. No, I'll wait. You said I have magic? Well then I'll have to learn how to use it so he can't hurt me. I'll outsmart him. Umm, Hoggle, how do I use it?"

The little dwarf just shrugged, "Beats me."

Sarah groaned, "Well then I'd better get to work."

The days and nights blurred for Sarah Williams. School wasn't much of a necessity for her anymore. She was too determined to figure out the magic Jareth had given her.

In all her planning Sarah never once questioned exactly why Jareth would give her those powers, one of the pitfalls of youth, never questioning gifts. It took her exactly a year to figure out how to tap into her magic and it came, as it did that night with Hoggle, unexpectedly.

Even though Sarah barely thought enough of school to bother she did somehow ace every single class, mostly as an attempt to keep the boredom at bay. One day she brought her tattered copy of 'The Labyrinth' to school with her. She sat in her desk with the book propped open with one hand and her head on her other hand, trying to find some kind of hidden manual for her magic.

She had finally given up though, and figured Jareth had put Hoggle up to it when her friend Amy jerked the book from her hands, holding it up towards the light.

Sarah seethed, "give it back Amy."

Amy just laughed light heartedly, "oooh sounds interesting, mind if I read it?"

The bell took that time to ring and then Amy was off. Sarah was mad, furious, and when she finally reached the close quarters of her room she screamed out her frustrations, her hands flying into the air. Warmth shot up, like running water, and coursed through her veins and then something ice cold and then hot erupted from her hands. There was the book, opened like someone had just finished the last page.

Sarah started, her eyes widening and she suddenly threw the book down in fear. The fear though, erupted into adrenaline and Sarah began to laugh. She was sure Karen would think she was 'on' something but side splitting laughter erupted inside her chest and then she could feel the magic like it had always been there, a part of her.

Giggling Sarah ran into Toby's room, where he had since been moved. The little man was playing with his toys while Karen was changing in her room.

Sarah grabbed Toby up and swung around with him laughing. Toby was slightly startled but once he saw the joy on his sissy's face his own face lit up and Sarah danced around the room with Toby. When Karen found them Toby was laughing so hard he was crying.

Exhaustion finally crept over Sarah but as she went to lie down she tried something. In her mind she bore a very clear image of the softest fluffiest bed imaginable along with fluffy pillows that stayed cool to the touch and no matter how she'd turn she would be in heaven. Along with that image she dressed herself in a white satin night gown that felt wonderful to the touch. It had black lace lining the top and bottom of it.

It appeared in wonderful magnificence and Sarah leapt into bed, falling into the sweetest sleep she had ever had, a smile playing on her beautiful lips.

Sarah left early for school the next morning and Amy wasn't there. When she did see her Amy just nodded and walked on by. It was in the lunchroom a few days later, while Sarah was eating breakfast that Amy found her. Sarah had re-sent the book back to Amy so there would be no unanswered explanations.

Amy looked very excited as she gave Sarah back the book.

"The story was amazing Sarah!"

Raising her eyebrows Sarah cocked her head, "Really?"

Amy sat down in front of Sarah. "I mean I'm sorry I've been avoiding you but I've been working on something and you're going to love it!"

Sarah watched in shock as Amy pulled out a painting from her satchel. The drawing was a rather poor rendition of the Goblin King, but it was the scene that startled Sarah .

"But this can't possibly be a scene from the book." Sarah stated simply, her heart catching in her chest.

"Well duh Sarah, it's not but it obviously should be."

Sarah's eyes travelled over the painting. The Goblin King had one arm wrapped around the Princess' waist, the other entangled in her hair. The Princess had a dainty hand clenching the poet shirt the King adorned, while her other delicately gloved hand was stroking his cheek. Their foreheads were touching, their lips almost caressing, just enough so that Sarah could almost feel their breath mingling.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked, slightly shaking.

"Oh please Sarah, you've read this book a million times and yet you've missed one simple and very important fact? She even states in the beginning, 'but what no one knew, was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers.' Then there was the dream scene where she's in the ballroom with him and he confesses his love. Don't even get me started on the last scene where he actually _proposes _to her!" Amy somehow spoke all of that in one breath. Sarah was speechless. She didn't know what to think. Instead she chose denial.

"That was all just a ploy Amy, a trick to diverge the princess from her task." Sarah defended, hot anger rising in her chest. _'Who is she to tell me what is or is not real? I was there!'_

Amy shook her head, her black curls bouncing on her shoulders. "No I don't think so Sarah. I think he was deeply in love with the girl and she turned him down, how cruel is that?"

"He wants her to become his subject, for him to rule her, a slave to his every whim, to _fear _him for crying out loud!"

"That's his confession of love! Yeesh Sar, how can you not see that after everything he did for her. He literally slaved himself for her. He _reordered _time for her and he played her game, allowing her to make the rules and she still bested every challenge. She taunted him and still he confessed in the end. He offered her her dreams. Sarah it was an equality thing, 'You do this and I will do this,' that's what he meant by 'just let me rule you. Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.' Sarah he offered her what he wanted from her, and she would get the same. It's messed up but Fae laws are different."

"Amy quit playing with those romantic notions. You lecture me like you know when I know different. He doesn't love her; he's just a sore loser." Sarah spat out, grabbing the book and storming off.

_'She doesn't know what she's talking about, and that's why I have to keep focusing on my powers so that I can return to the Labyrinth, I can't let him best me. I will return, and he won't conquer me.'_

Sarah held true to that notion and continued to develop her skills for the next two years, and he sole focus was on going back to the only place she could ever truly call home. She just had to be prepared to face the Goblin King's wrath but she wouldn't give the Labyrinth up, not in spite of all the cleaners or hallucinations in the world.


	2. And All I Loved

**AN: Here's chapter two. I hope it's better than the last. I'm already in love with how I want this story to go and I hope you all love it as well. Once again, advice, ideas, thoughts are all greatly welcomed. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. I hope you enjoy, and definitely review and tell me what you think… (squirms, pleasepleaseplease no flames.)**

Sarah graduated with top honors. The little girl that she once was was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a breathtaking beauty. Her features were matured and delicate. The stubborn set of her jaw was forever in place while her eyes glinted mischievously. Her lips were a sensual curve while her eyebrows were thin and arched opposed to the thick straight ones she once adorned. Her body was curved just enough to show her femininity and her breasts were full and lush. She looked almost a different person than the fourteen year old girl she had once been, but she still felt the same love for the labyrinth.

She was a lovely sight up on the stage, and afterwards she dressed in a loosely form fitting silky silver dress that clung delicately to her curves and accentuated her breasts. It was loose fitting at the bottom, giving Sarah her desired swish. Her dark brown hair was loosely pinned half way up with just two strands hanging in her face.

The whole time she chatted with her family and friends her mind was on what she hoped to achieve that night. She finally felt confident enough with her abilities to re-enter the Labyrinth.

Finally the clock struck the hour for her to 'head to bed' and Sarah practically leapt up the stairs. It wasn't until she stood in front of her mirror, that her heart started pounding erratically in her chest. Nervousness crept over her like a slow fog and Sarah held her breath, suddenly unsure. Like all challenges though, she had learned, she just had to take the first step.

Sarah took her shoes off, wanting to experience the full feel of the enchanting place this go around.

Sarah reached her long fingers forward, caressing the cool glass of the mirror, and then, like warm butter, it rippled and melted away, and Sarah stepped forward, into forever.

It was nighttime as Sarah stepped out of the mirror. She entered at the same place she had last time. The Labyrinth wasn't the dusty orange that it was last time though. It was more majestic. Sarah held her breath.

The moon was round and full and cast a silver glow upon the ground and stars dotted along the sky. _'I'll lay my love between the stars.' _Sarah shivered as the familiar words echoed in her mind like a long forgotten nightmare. They truly had been enticing; after all she had fantasized many, many times about the Goblin King.

Sarah then, letting go of all of her fears, charged forward, dancing along, laughing and entered the big gates without so much as a thought, like she was a part of the Labyrinth itself. Her first order of business was to find the worm. He was in the same spot of course. He grinned when he saw Sarah.

"I've come for that cup of tea you invited me to three years ago." Sarah spoke warmly, her eyes glowing with stars.

The Worm almost brimmed over with excitement, his scarf almost slid off as he rushed inside. "Martha Martha! Lady Sarah's come for tea."

Sarah beamed a smile filled with perfect white teeth, and then called upon her magic, shrinking down to barely an inch tall. Sarah had to admit, the Worm's wife made an amazing cup of tea.

Afterwards Sarah continued on her way, enjoying the sights and sounds she once couldn't stop to appreciate, until she arrived at a large fountain that was made to look like a waterfall, surrounded on all sides by smooth sitting stones. Sarah danced around it, gleaming with joy at being back there. Laughter escaped her lips as she danced, so far so good.

She had never known a time when she could feel this free.

All sorts of labyrinthine creatures stopped to watch the almost otherworldly beauty dance. They could sense something in her movements, of the power that dwelt inside her and all already respected her.

Sarah couldn't get enough of the labyrinth. Everything around her was all glitter and stone and dark luminescence. Sarah shivered as the current of the air seemed to change and shift for just a split second.

"Sarah Sarah, just what do you think you are doing inside my labyrinth?"

A voice, like smooth silk, sent wave after wave of shock creeping down Sarah's spine. All of her joints locked up at once and her breath hitched in her chest, leaving cold remnants of her joy from just moments before.

After what seemed like hours Sarah managed to let her breath slowly escape her lips as she contemplated what to say; after all she was in _his _labyrinth.

Sarah slowly turned to face the object of her many nightmares. She knew it was a bad idea, coming to the labyrinth, but she wanted to experience that magic once again. She was internally cursing herself over and over. It was the realization that she had not yet been turned into a goblin, and her last words from the time before, that brought Sarah back.

There he was, in all of his magnificent magnificence, glitter and all. Standing before her, he was a frightening sight, decked out in the very same outfit she first met him in.

"Not one for repetition are you?" Sarah asked, her courage slowly ebbing to life, springing sarcasm along with it.

A flash of sharp canines revealed his cocky grin and Sarah wanted to slap the smirk right off his defined face. She glared defiantly back at him.

Jareth, King of goblins, stepped forward, looking Sarah over, smirking. "My my, Sarah how you've grown, I bet with just a little bit more off the top you could be prancing around like a common fairy; nothing my faithful gardener can't handle of course."

Sarah straightened her posture, trying to match his height. The first time they had had an encounter she had felt so small but now she was technically a woman. It was no wonder Jareth had that strange glint in his eyes that sometimes men get. Sarah felt an alien sense striking through her veins, landing straight in her stomach.

Blood rushed to Sarah's cheeks and she spoke the first line to pop out of her mouth. "Well at least I'm not strutting around the place like a little girl going to a glitter party."

Anger quickly replaced lust in Jareth's eyes and he spat out, "I am a Fae Miss Williams and as such we live by different rules. If you expect to spend any length of time amongst _my_ labyrinthine walls then I suggest you take the not so subtle hint that we do not live at the same time as the Aboveground but neither are we behind. This is a different space Sarah and I expect you to show it a little more respect."

That statement slightly humbled Sarah and she took a step back, all thoughts of Jareth taking his revenge gone. His mismatched eyes were daring her to comment and no snide remark could grasp its clever claws this time. Instead Sarah finally asked something that had been nagging at the furthest corners of her mind.

Taking a step forward, towards the ominous king, Sarah simply questioned, "Well then _Your Majesty _why did you gift me with magic when you didn't want me to return?"

A bubble of warm fuzziness enveloped Sarah and she felt like gloating. She _actually _stumped the tight-wearing, honey voiced, Goblin King with the bleach blond messy chopped hair. That same feeling hit her in her stomach as her pale hazel eyes met his mismatched, feral ones.

Sarah couldn't stop herself from smirking, placing a delicate hand on her hip. She couldn't help but notice how he glanced at her curves, his eyes lingering on the curve of her neck, the shape of her lips. Her eyebrows arched up as she waited for his answer.

"Sarah when you," He paused, "_bested _me it had been the first time anyone and I do mean _anyone_ had ever been able to do so. It was only right I give you a gift. I have no power over you which gives you power to equal mine, only fair. Besides whom else could I call upon to solve my little puzzles here when no one else can stand up to you? I'm surprised though it took you this long. Maybe I was wrong…"

Now it was Sarah's turn to be stumped, a blush swept over her cheeks, "so this isn't about revenge? That's what took me so long you know? I mean, who wants an angry Goblin King's wrath?"

"Oh do call me Jareth. I get so sick of hearing those little pests calling me by my title." Jareth commented, a sour look crossing his sharp features, his nose crinkling.

Baffled by the fact that he was talking to her on almost _polite _terms, Sarah spoke softly. "Do you not have other Fae to converse with?"

A shadow crept over Jareth's features, the menacing creature of a Goblin King returning and he swished his cloak and in a rush of wind he was gone, leaving Sarah stumped.

Sarah, feeling positively defeated, sat down on one of the smooth stones and propped an elbow on one knee with her head in her hand. _'I have to get him to talk about it eventually. Maybe I could ask Hoggle or Sir Didymus, but he's been so busy lately guarding his newly prepared bridge, and poor sweet Ludo is home with his family finally, in the mountains where he belongs. I wonder what the look was for! It's going to eat its way at me I know it. Oh well, I'm getting tired. I need to head home and get to bed. Dad and Karen will be calling the police if I'm not there.'_

Upon returning to her room it wasn't more than a couple of seconds before Karen rapped on the door. "Sarah, are you awake?"

Very quickly Sarah wriggled out of the thin dress and flung on a largely oversized t-shirt, dive bombing into her covers. "Yeah Karen, come on in."

The door creaked open and Karen came into the room, looking a tad bit nervous.

The bed squeaked a little as she sat down next to Sarah, who looked at her quizzically. "What's up?"

"It was a big day today." Karen started, glancing down, pretending to pick at one of her perfectly manicured nails. "You know Sarah, you're not a little girl anymore, yet you still haven't dated. I'm, well Sarah to be perfectly honest I'm worried about you."

Aghast, Sarah's eyes widened, "This is all because I haven't _dated _anyone? Karen, don't get me wrong, but I haven't found anyone I can really connect with. It's not that I haven't wanted to date anyone, it's just that there's no one whom I 'm interested in."

Immediately Sarah saw the doubt in the older woman's eyes and Sarah wanted to scream in frustration, especially when Karen pulled out a small gift pouch.

"Sarah, this was given to you by a visitor we had this evening. He said he'll be in touch. I don't know who he is except that he's dark and very handsome, almost otherworldly." Karen spoke quickly and handed Sarah the pouch.

Apprehension rippled its winding way and Sarah took the pouch, unfastening the leather strap. Inside was a fruit Sarah had never seen before. It was a green color and the smell that wafted from it smelled absolutely mouth watering. Sarah fought the urge to chunk it but held it up.

"Try it Sarah, he said it would gift you the best sleep." Karen spoke, her eyes lighting up.

Realizing there was no way around it, Sarah put the delectable fruit in her mouth and her taste buds lit up. Never had anything tasted so amazing. The flavor was the sweetest uniqueness Sarah had ever had the pleasure of tasting. Still though, she was a little nervous at the fruit but figured that since it wasn't a peach no harm no fouls right?

Sarah finished the fruit and raised her eyebrows at her step mother. "I'm sorry I didn't give you any. I don't know what came over me."

Karen shook her head, laughing lightly, "oh it's fine Sarah, it's your soon to be honey's present to you."

The conversation was ended as Toby erupted into a chorus of Sponge Bob Square Pants from the other room.

"Oh Toby you know it's past your bed time!" Karen called out as she headed out of the room. Then she looked back to Sarah, "Sweet dreams my dear."

After Karen left Sarah sat and waited and waited, believing that at any moment she would slip into a delusion of a ballroom and a mysterious Goblin King, but it never came, and eventually Sarah pulled her covers up to her chin and snuggled with a pillow while two more were under her head. Sleep though, was a different story…


	3. Topsy Turvy

**AN: Drumroll, and for chapter three I do start the plot, mwhahahaha. Read, review and enjoy!**

_The first thing Sarah noticed was that all around her was murky muddy dirt. She could barely move for the mud clinging to her bare feet. Her feet kept being jarred and pricked by many hidden thorns as she could not see the ground. Every step was barbaric and all that surrounded her was darkness._

_With only one purpose, to find a way out, Sarah trudged on, unsure of where this dream was taking her. From somewhere far away she heard familiar laughter and all she wanted to do was scream._

"_Sarah! Sarah where are you!" A voice screamed for her, Hoggle. "Help me Sarah!"_

"_Hoggle!" Sarah screamed for her friend. "Hoggle are you okay?" _

"_Sarah help!"_

"_Hoggle!"_

"_My Lady!" Another voice rang out._

"_Sir Didymus?" Sarah screamed, becoming frantic, her footfalls becoming more urgent, still sinking into the sticky mud._

"_Sawah, Sawah Ludo hurt!"_

"_LUDO!" Sarah screamed at the top of her lungs, collapsing in the mud in her struggle to find her dearest friends._

_Blindly moving through the dream, Sarah's heart raced ninety miles a second and so desperately she went on, not even caring that she was crawling through filthy black mud._

_More laughter and then a voice, so full of spite and hatred, echoed loudly in her mind. "Sarah Sarah how pathetic you look down there crawling through the mud. Trying to save your friends? Well it's too late for them my dear."_

_That voice was so full of malice that it choked Sarah up and she glanced up. Standing on a boulder above her was the Goblin King, wearing clothes out of his usual taste. His wild hair was straightened and the glitter gone. His mismatched eyes held fire and his black outfit hung loose and menacing. The canines of his teeth gleamed in unnatural light and Sarah held back a scream._

"_Do you miss me Sarah? Do you fantasize about me? Will you still after tonight?" Jareth spoke, his soft voice cracked and laced with wickedness._

"_Where are my friends?" Sarah asked, struggling to stand, shakily getting to her legs._

"_Don't defy me Sarah." The Goblin King seethed and Sarah heard the sounds of many hissing snakes and she glanced around. Cobras swam from all sides through the thick mud in Sarah's direction._

"_Sarah!" Came all three voices simultaneously._

"_Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus!" Sarah screamed and a rush of adrenaline surged through her and she started rising above the mud and grime._

_Jareth's face widened in astonishment and he urged the slithering creatures onward. Sarah noticed something off about him. He just didn't look right. Something in the curve of his mouth, in the point of his nose…_

_Gathering up her courage, Sarah taunted. "This isn't real, this is a dream and you are NOT Jareth, King of Goblins!"_

"_On the contrary my dear," Spoke the Goblin King impersonator, "this is very, very real."_

_Calling her magic to life, Sarah brought her out of sleep._

The room was dark and forbidding as Sarah sat straight up in bed. Nausea churned at her stomach and she was covered in a thin layer of sweat. She threw her bed sheets off of her and stumbled to her mirror.

"Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, I need you, all of you." Sarah spoke, her voice cracked and shaking, fear pulling at her from all sides. She noticed that her face was a sickly pale and circles had formed under her eyes.

When they didn't answer Sarah leapt through the mirror, forgetting her lack of pants, and began running in the direction of the gates to the labyrinth to see if its faithful gardener was watering the weeds.

Sarah's heart was pounding in her throat and she called out. It was thirteen o'clock in the labyrinth so many of the residents were asleep. Someone yelled at Sarah to shut up but she ignored them, tearing into the damp stone walls that felt more like home than home.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as grief erupted from somewhere inside, and so turning a corner, not even looking, Sarah ran into a very solid figure.

"Sarah what is going on," Asked a very surprised Goblin King.

Emotions all melded together so Sarah, in her despair from the dream, lashed out and tried to hit Jareth, her tears blurring her view. His chest was more masculine than she imagined.

"What did you do with them?" Sarah screamed collapsing onto the cold stone floor, barely noticing her long bare legs almost revealing her most intimate of parts.

Jareth crouched down to one knee though, trying hard not to notice how much of Sarah was on display, his white poet's shirt hanging loose. He reached out a gloved hand and put it under Sarah's chin, tilting her face up. "What do you mean by that? Your friends are just fine, asleep more likely, unlike most of the residents that preside in this particular area. Now Precious what's bothering you?"

His voice caressed Sarah and chill bumps crept up her spine. Embarrassment hit Sarah and she blushed deeply. She almost thought she heard him sigh. Suddenly aware of the close proximity, Sarah whispered. "Just a dream I had."

Jareth took her hand and pulled her up. Sarah wondered at the leather gloves that encased them, they were so smooth, almost like skin. Now Sarah stood before him hyper aware of the fact that only a shirt that reached the top of her hips barred him from seeing her completely bare.

A look almost like concern crossed his face. "And what dream was this Sarah?"

Sarah set her jaw firmly, trying not to betray her fear, "it doesn't matter."

"If it has upset you this much then the situation calls for an explanation. You know as well as I, Precious, that dreams can be more than just that. I need to know whom I have to eviscerate. Who has made you cry?"

Sarah glanced up, into his eyes, "You."

Stumped, Jareth paused, "Me? How in the blazes could it have possibly been me? I've been handling treaties all bloody night."

"Like I said, it was just a dream." Sarah stated, pushing Jareth away and feeling humiliated, embarrassed, and shameful.

Sarah rose and wiped away her tears, hot blood rushing to her cheeks. "I'm gonna go now."

"Sarah, wait." Jareth started to say but Sarah turned, holding her proud head high.

"Let's never speak of this again Goblin King." Sarah spoke as she turned from him, flipping her raven hair behind her like the Goblin King did with his many capes, and then she was gone, leaving Jareth stumped.

After that night Sarah decided to refrain from going to the labyrinth for a few days. She just couldn't face _him _again. There were no more nightmares so Sarah was immensely grateful for that, not knowing a certain Goblin King had been the cause for the reprieve. Otherwise Sarah's dreams had taken on another embarrassing quality altogether, once again a certain King had been the cause.

The first of the new dreams had started off innocently enough:

_Sarah found herself walking through the Labyrinth as usual. She was clad in a silky emerald dress that clung seductively to her curves. Her hair hung down, long and gently wavy. Right off Sarah knew she was looking for something. A thrill of excitement clung to every inch of her and as she turned corners she could always see it out of the corner of her eyes._

_There would be a flash of gold and then nothing, but Sarah never gave up when she wanted something. She just pushed on faster. She barely noticed when the orange hues of the stone and glitter walls gave way to lush green forest and hundreds upon hundreds of the most dazzling flowers bloomed all around her. _

_Still Sarah went on, always in search of something, and that something was always just out of sight. The path Sarah was on led her to a trickling stream and a massive crystal blue waterfall. Everything was gorgeous and Sarah finally stopped in mid-step. She found what she was looking for._

_Propped against the mountain where the waterfall roared down from was Jareth, King of Goblins himself. He was wearing a royal blue poet shirt with khaki tight breeches. He was minus the gloves and his infamous riding crop. _

_There was a brilliant smile plastered on his lips, his teeth were shining brightly, and Sarah darted to him. As in dreams Sarah had no control, and as in dreams she felt what it wanted her to feel._

_Jareth held his arms open, welcoming her into his embrace. Sarah was immediately bombarded with the smells of sunshine and peaches. Sarah felt like she could drink it in._

_Arms sealed her to him, and Sarah looked up to her Goblin King. A finger, so smooth and careful, caressed her cheek, sending jolts of warmth and pleasure rippling through her body. Sarah closed her eyes to the sensation. _

_The fingers trailed to cup her chin, angling her to look up at him. His mismatched eyes were bright with wonder and excitement, and something like caution. Sarah gaped at the beautiful being holding her so close. Was this even possible? One of his hands rested on the small of her back, pulling her closer._

_In an instant Sarah eagerly closed the remaining distance and his lips were on hers._

With a jolt Sarah woke in bed. Shock gripped her as her brain jumbled the images that she had just played out. _Did I just dream that I was in the Goblin King's arms? Impossible; no way would I ever do that. So why would I dream it? _Sarah couldn't wrap her brain around it as she struggled to keep consciousness. She wasn't sure if she wanted to dream that again, but at the same time she wasn't sure she didn't want to_ not_ want to dream it.

It was all too confusing for Sarah so she just decided to stay awake. There were too many paradoxes going on for her pleasure. First there was the arrogant jerky Goblin King, then there was the other side he kept pushing on her, the one that seemed to almost care about her. Sarah felt like she was drowning and she didn't know which way was up or down.

What was worse was that she didn't know what _she _wanted to believe anymore. Did she want to believe in another side to him or did she want to keep her distance. _What will I be giving up either way? _Sarah felt like she was back in that ballroom with Jareth again. She felt like she had a choice to make but she wasn't sure what yet.

Sarah didn't go back to sleep that night so she felt like an absolute zombie the next day. She did everything she could though, to not think about the dream although certain images kept coming back to her, and every time she went outside she could almost smell sunlight and it reminded her of him.

**AN: Yes I did do three chapters at once. It'll be just one from here on out, I just wanted the plot to get going. I don't want anyone getting too bored. Lol Hope you've enjoyed so far!**


	4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows

**AN: Long chapter here. WARNING: Brief almost too graphic violence but I am incredibly proud of this chapter, no elated, no enthralled. It is waaay better than I imagined it would be. Plllllleassse review and tell me what you think, what your thoughts are on what's happening and the like. I love to hear other people's thoughts. As always read, review and thank you thank you to the ones that have reviewed so far they give me hope and inspiration.**

After a few days of that same dream over and over again Sarah finally decided she needed another walk in the labyrinth. She wanted to see her friends again, maybe without _him _this time. He was just too confusing and Sarah just wanted some peace from her mind.

As she sat on her bed contemplating the dream she decided it wasn't all that bad, just the ending where _he _came in. _That _wasn't half bad either except that there was no way he felt that way about her, or the other way around. _Impossible._

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and Sarah felt nervous about re-entering again. This time she wore khaki cargo pants and a bright red t-shirt. After the other night she felt exposed. Sarah stood in front of her mirror and breathed in deeply, "c'mon feet. Let's go."

Once again the mirror melted away like warm butter and Sarah stepped into the Labyrinth.

The orange dust was in place again, minus the glitter and Sarah immediately ventured for the gates to the Labyrinth. The huge doors creaked open slowly upon her arrival and as Sarah entered they slammed shut faster than should have been possible.

Shrugging it off Sarah turned in the general direction of the Goblin Kingdom. She wanted to visit Hoggle first but he wasn't at the gates like she would have thought. He got around pretty quickly though so Sarah knew she would find him. She'd need him to find Ludo anyways. She had never been to the mountains before. She was sure Sir Didymus and Ambrosious would love to accompany them as well.

The first thing Sarah really noticed was just how stale the labyrinth had become. It was like there was very little air. That bothered Sarah a little but she continued on, intent to find her friends. The eyes that watched from the walls seemed to almost creep in on Sarah as she made her way down the corridors.

Did this turn always have an end? Sure the labyrinth was ever changing but still…Sarah wasn't so sure. She thought maybe she had stayed away too long and the other times she had run through on gut instinct. _So where is my instinct now?_

Relief washed over Sarah when she stumbled onto the two headed door guards. All four of them were asleep so Sarah decided to rouse them.

She walked forward and pulled the helmet off of one while twisting his ear, "time to wake up!"

"Hey what do you think you're-." One spoke up, his grumble of anger quite audible.

"That's not fair!" Piped another one up as they all were woken up from the pain of one.

"I need to get through this door." Sarah stated matter-of-factly.

"You do do you?" One spoke excitedly from his upside down position. Sarah noticed something odd about the way he looked. His fur was off somehow but Sarah couldn't place her finger on it. When she went through the labyrinth three years ago she had barely paid any attention to them, only to solving the riddle.

All four of the heads began to laugh, shaking their shields with them and Sarah grew impatient. She placed a hand on her hip. "Are you going to give me a riddle so I can pass or not?"

Their laughter grew immensely and then one coughed it off and struggled to catch his voice. "Alright, here's you one: We are but the children of darkness and evil, We make people do the most regrettable deal. Let us introduce ourselves to you, so you'll know who's who. Our eldest is a not so bad guy, but thinks of himself so high. Our next is not as cool as a cucumber, but hotheaded and always has a bad temper. Another of us wants this and that, whatever others do and have. A brother of ours seems to be tired and weary, to do this and that, but he's just lazy. We have twins who are not brave, also not a coward, but they always crave. One hungers for food and anything it can consume. One hungers for wealth and power that leads to doom. Last but not the least, is our sister who desires like a beast. Sexual and sensual desires are those that feed her fire. Now answer us, don't be a poop, who are we, as individuals and as a group?"

Sarah listened intently. This riddle was completely different than the last one, and one that wasn't so innocent. She thought of her answer carefully as the answer was obvious but it came in two parts and she had to get it correct.

Sarah's eyes lit up as she stated her answer confidently and she counted them off on her fingers, one by one, "but that's so easy! They're Pride, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed and Lust! They're the Seven Deadly Sins of course!"

"Ba ba ba bummm, certain death!" The four heads screamed out at one time and Sarah gasped as a strong wind suddenly knocked her off her feet and she slid straight into the hole that loomed for her.

Darkness enveloped her and the air around her turned cold and stale. Then suddenly she was caught, all over, by rough hands. Sarah was sure they were going to leave bruises unlike the last time.

"Help," Sarah called out to the hands.

"What do you mean help? Why should we? We're trickling hands." Spoke one of the hands, folding and forming a face with some of the other hands.

"I thought you were _helping hands_." Sarah stated, becoming frantic as she struggled to stay up.

"Would you like us to let _go_?" Asked another hand-face. Another one was chuckling, while yet another one was laughing maniacally. Sarah could just barely see them from the sunlight casting silver shadows all around her.

"No! Please no. You were so helpful last time, I just thought." Sarah rambled, becoming quite frightened. Did the Goblin King have something to do with this? If so then Sarah was going to give it to Jareth when she got out of there!

"You just thought? Well thoughts aren't going to do you much good here." A hand with an annoying scratchy voice spoke from underneath Sarah, its grip on her leg was vice-like. It was so painful her leg began to cramp.

"Well since thoughts here aren't much good we really ought to just let her go." A mustached hand-face surmised.

"What? No!" Sarah began to scream when the hands began bustling to do something.

"He chose down!" A hand screamed in pure excitement.

"He chose down?" Questioned another, and began laughing at the top of its finger lungs.

"What? I thought I was supposed to choose!" Sarah tried reasoning but all at once all of the hands retracted and Sarah began to fall.

All she could hear was, "sometimes in life you don't get to choose. That's the way it is."

"But that's not fair!" Sarah screamed before she could stop herself.

Laughter continued to echo even as she was completely enveloped in darkness.

Sarah didn't know how long she fell. It seemed like forever, but it's not long at all is it? Finally her body struck the cold dirt and rock floor hard. Sarah gasped in pain when she landed. It reverberated throughout her entire being.

Her head slammed down as well and pain shot throughout her head. Sarah had to take a moment to recuperate before she could try to stand. As she stood the world tilted dangerously and pain split through her skull. Her head began to ache like the worst migraine. She felt completely helpless. _And all I wanted to do was see my friends again? What's going on here?_

Sarah didn't know how long she stayed there, not knowing how large or how small that space was. There was no light so there was no way to get her bearings. It was so hard to be strong when there was nothing to support your weight.

Finally a light flickered on in the areas furthest reaches. _Is that Hoggle? _Sarah felt elation bubble up in her body and she sighed in relief and ran towards the light.

"Hoggle I'm so glad it's you, you don't know how much I've missed you!"

The little dwarf was there and Sarah embraced him warmly. Her welcome though, was worn out as she was shoved aside violently. Sarah's eyes widened at the cold welcome and suddenly that gnawing feeling of helplessness flitted its way in her stomach.

"Well looksie here, if it isn't Sarah, champion of the Labyrinth. Come to cheat your way through this time dearie?"

Hoggle sneered up at her. That's when Sarah noticed the one thing that really caught her attention aside from everything else; Hoggle's lovely jewels were missing. He _never ever EVER _went without his lovely jewels.

"Hoggle, what's going on here? Everything's so strange." Sarah began but the dwarf cut her off as he began to advance towards her.

"Shows what you know don't it?" Hoggle chastised and crept forward still. Something about the way he moved was scaring Sarah.

That was when a silver glint caught from the fire glow caught her eye. Hoggle had a small silver dagger in his thick left hand.

Sarah gave out a startled yelp and moved out of the way just in time as Hoggle sliced the air where her stomach had been the moment before.

As quickly as she could Sarah darted behind the dwarf. She had to think up something fast if she was going to survive.

Hoggle turned quick as his stout little frame would let him and came at her again. Sarah dove for the ground and began feeling around blindly, looking for something, anything that would save her.

Thick wood suddenly cut across Sarah's fingertips, tearing the skin but Sarah was too relieved to worry about a little cut. There were much bigger things afoot.

Sarah quickly lifted the wooden door to its full height and tried to open it before discovering it was locked.

"Damn! I should have known better!" Sarah cursed and moved just as another swipe of sharp silver cut through the darkness.

Sarah let Hoggle chase her through the dark until they arrived back at the fire light where Sarah could look at him more carefully. There they were. The rusted old keys dangled on the keeper's hip like they did the last time but the circumstances were much more dire than before.

As she looked at what was her friend she let her guard down for a mere second, but managed to move, too late though as the dagger slit her side, cutting skin but not going too deep.

Sarah screamed at the sharp contact, which reminded her of stepping on glass or of a bicycle wreck on the asphalt. Sarah ducked to the ground and dug her fingernails into the moist dirt where there was dirt instead of rock, and flung dirt into the dwarf's big eyes and lumpy bulging nose.

"Take that!" Sarah yelled and then tackled Hoggle, pushing him to the ground. The dwarf was surprisingly strong as he lashed out at Sarah and his thick gardener's fingernails dug into her shoulder. Sarah squirmed and bit the dwarf's thick grotesque hand.

Hoggle yelped and Sarah took advantage and yanked at the keys on his hip, pulling them free.

As Sarah pulled free of Hoggle and ran towards the door he kicked the back of her knee causing her to fall to the ground.

With all of the adrenaline pumping through her veins Sarah found she couldn't stand. She was too wobbly. So instead she began to army crawl for the door as fast as she could. Hoggle came up above her and stomped on her back, causing another startled scream to pour from Sarah's lips but she turned onto her back just as the dagger sliced her shoulder blades. Once again averted, Sarah put all her weight into a single kick to the dwarf's chest, knocking the air out of his lungs.

"What is _wrong _with you Hoggle? You're my best friend!" Sarah screamed exasperatedly and then shakily climbed to her knees, scooting forward the last few feet to the door.

The keys jangled dangerously as Sarah fumbled to find the right one, the one that would lead her to safety. Her hands were shaking so uncontrollably that Sarah feared dropping them.

From a few feet away Hoggle regained his footing, and snarled at Sarah, which was strange enough, and then he charged her, screaming for energy.

Sarah twisted the last key and success! The door swung open and Sarah dove inside, slamming it shut behind her. Quickly, Sarah locked it back as Hoggle began jabbing at the wood with the dagger. Then, as it clicked locked the passageway disappeared along with Hoggle.

Sarah collapsed in agonizing tears. Her chest rose and fell as she shook with grief. How could this be happening?

Not knowing what else to do Sarah punched at the stone wall with her fists, her emotions so riddled and boggled.

"What is going on here?" Sarah screamed as loudly as she could.

Hoggle was her friend, he would never do that to her. Something wasn't right and she felt that to her very core. Deep inside something was nagging at her but she couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Eventually Sarah began to take control of her emotions, deciding she wasn't getting anywhere by crying. What hit her most was that she hadn't once thought about using her magic, but as she tried though she found it was useless. Whatever was going on there had nullified her gift from Jareth. Sarah's eyes narrowed as she thought of the Goblin King. Was he behind this? Did he make her dearest friend turn on her?

Sarah decided she needed to find Sir Didymus and Ludo, that maybe they could help her although she was seriously starting to doubt that they could now.

The corridor Sarah was in lead her straight to the false alarms. She knew simply because as soon as she turned a corner there was a roaring blast in her ears. It was so loud Sarah had to shield her ears and run for it.

All of the false alarms made no sense at all. They were all either blaring loud or so quiet they were inaudible. Some were even just cutting their eyes at Sarah. She felt like screaming in frustration.

Sarah even recognized when she turned the corner where Jareth had been disguised, only he wasn't there this time. Sarah had to stop herself when she realized that that was almost a letdown. _But here where all of this craziness is happening? I don't even wanna know what he would do…_

"Ugh this is so frustrating!" Sarah vented and leaned against the wall, trying to get her head straight. "This is all like some long vivid nightmare! Only this isn't a nightmare isn't it? So then what is it?"

Realizing answers weren't going to just appear before her Sarah decided she needed to move on. She wasn't a little girl anymore so she had to be brave although she felt like giving up. All she could do was hope against hope that her other friends were still in their right minds.

Sarah continued on down the way where the cleaners had chased Hoggle and herself. Thinking of Hoggle just sent nausea sweeping down into her belly. The pain was still fresh and it still hurt just as bad. She wouldn't believe that Hoggle would really do that to her though.

Sarah went up the ladder and finally exited up into the hedge maze section of the labyrinth. The old man wasn't there like he was last time but Sarah couldn't really expect him to stay there for three years.

At that point Sarah wasn't really sure where to go, just that she needed to find a path down to the Bog of Eternal Stench without getting soaked.

Sarah wandered aimlessly for quite a while, all the time noticing how _off _the Labyrinth had become. It was just too bizarre. In truth it grew more frustrating by the second. Sarah could just feel something seeping into her bones and it froze her insides with its wrongness.

It was growing darker by the second and the green of the hedge maze gave way to rotted plants and shrubs. The cobblestone pathway grew more into disrepair and Sarah began rubbing her bare arms as the air turned cold and hostile.

"I have to find a way out of this damn it. Where's Jareth?" Sarah began to question, growing desperate. "Jareth," She screamed and began to run in no real direction at all.

All at once the ground gave way beneath her and she was sliding, sliding, and it seemed to last forever. The ground was not smooth like the last time she slid down towards the _Bog of Eternal Stench_; this time the ground cut into her skin and she bit her lip as she slid.

At the end of the tunnel light broke through and then suddenly Sarah was free falling up high, way high. Sarah flailed, trying to find a hand hold to cling on to but finding none all she could do was hope against hope.

Far below her Sarah caught sight of the bog, only it wasn't stench worthy, only far more vicious. There was something about its inky blackness that frightened Sarah. The usual bog was relatively harmless other than its smell but this one seemed dead serious and incredibly dangerous.

Since that night she discovered her powers Sarah had always carried a sense of security with her but at that moment Sarah felt powerless and her life felt totally up to the fates.

Instead of landing in the inky muck Sarah landed on soft ground that seemed to give in when her weight pressed on it. The sharp daggers of the grass that grew on it bit into Sarah's skin, causing a phantom itch to sweep up her body.

Sarah writhed against the new sensations, scrambling up to her wobbly feet. It took her a moment to get her bearings and it was completely obvious this was not her innocent bog.

In fact, the more Sarah thought about it the more she yearned for _her _labyrinth and for its Goblin King. She had seen no real residents of this menacing labyrinth. It seemed everything here was catered to her demise. Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to see what the Jareth of this place would be like.

Sarah stopped, stunned as a realization hit her. She _wanted _to see Jareth again, not a version trying to kill her but the snarky Goblin King who was always surprising her. _And his sunshine scent._

Sarah shook her head, she had to keep moving. Staying still would get her nowhere and she was already taking the calmness of this area for granted.

Sarah decided to trudge towards the general area she figured Sir Didymus' bridge would be located. It soon became apparent though that the bridge was gone. In fact, the bog itself seemed to begin to creep in on her. It was when the murky black liquid licked at her heel that Sarah found what this bog did.

There was a hissing noise and then the material seemed to melt away. Sarah gasped and then took off running to the driest spot she could find; only finding the bog raising its liquid levels. Panic ensued and then Sarah sped up her pace, the bog doing the same.

Finally it all became too much to bare and Sarah gave up, collapsing to her knees, "Jareth!"

Sarah screamed his name as loudly as she could to no avail. Hyperventilation began to threaten Sarah's chest and then she thought of it, "I wish the King of the Goblins would come and take me away, RIGHT NOW!"

There was a strong gust of wind with all the force of a raging twister and then he was before her in battle regalia. As soon as his eyes fell upon Sarah she saw his eyes widen.

"Sarah what has happened to you?" Jareth asked, coming forward, worry lines creasing his forehead, anger pulsating from him, anger generated to another source though, the one causing Sarah distress.

Sarah was too baffled to speak, only to gaze upon the King.

Jareth's face betrayed his emotions, conflicted and scared for her, and in yearning he held out an armored arm toward Sarah, the black leather shining in the dusk of the evening. His gloved hand then retracted, afraid of closing the distance. After that swift moment where he looked worried to death, Jareth propped an arm on his hip.

Every emotion, every scar, every ounce of pain, emotional and physical, that she had endured since arriving, hit Sarah at once and all she could think about was sunshine and peaches.

Rushing forward, it was Sarah with all the force of a twister as she leapt into his arms, wrapping her own arms around his neck as tightly as possible.

"Take me home Jareth just take me home _please._" Sarah begged, tears threatening to expel onto the high collar of Jareth's armor.

A gloved hand swept through Sarah's hair in a comforting manner, "anything for you Precious."

Shivers of different varieties vibrated through Sarah, and she dug her head into his shoulder. His skin smelled even more amazing than the dream, as if he leaked precious sunlight.

Everything around Sarah blurred and shifted, her stomach going into her chest as Jareth transported her back to her room. It was then, in her room safe and sound, that Sarah realized just what she was doing.

Very suddenly Sarah pulled out of Jareth's arms, backing up onto her bedroom wall. Straightening her posture Sarah tried to sound like she had not just lived through Hell.

"That wasn't necessary thank you." She stated, making sure to hold her chin up.

Jareth became angry then, "Sarah I do believe it was you who just called for my help and practically tackled me onto the floor, although I wouldn't have minded that part."

In frustration Sarah grabbed her favorite purple fleece pillow and chunked it at Jareth who just waved it away with a gloved hand.

Jareth's reply to a pillow being thrown at him was to chuckle and that only infuriated Sarah more so she grabbed whatever object was within reach and began chunking them at the King who only cracked up more.

Finally Sarah stopped, seeming to remember what she had just been through. "What was that?"

The sarcastic smile fled from Jareth's sharp features and his eyes became intense. "What exactly do you mean Sarah?"

Sarah gestured with her hands, "all of that, the labyrinth, Hoggle, the bog-."

Jareth cut her off instantly, anger flaring in his eyes. "Sarah do not be deceived, that was NOT my labyrinth and those certainly were not my subjects. Whatever is going on here is not my doing, now Precious, what happened?"

Sarah took a moment to breathe properly and motioned for Jareth to take a seat at her vanity. Surprisingly he did. As Sarah sat on her bed she chuckled outwardly. He looked so out of place in her room in his medieval meets urban regalia. Then Sarah recapped the events.

With each passing second the fury grew on Jareth's face and then he stood; the air around him electrified with his energy.

"Sarah be careful. I do not know what games are afoot but they are not ones from my labyrinth or from my people. Do use caution next time you want to enter _my _labyrinth. Do not enter of your own accord. Call me or one of my servants to escort you. It is not safe for you to travel alone." Jareth spoke, trying to downplay his anger although Sarah could feel it writhing off of him, and then in a rush of wind Jareth was gone, leaving Sarah feeling empty and scared.

After changing into her night clothes Sarah crawled into bed, thinking about what had happened. Someone was out to get her. Someone knew her greatest fears and how to manipulate her. Someone wanted her either traumatized or dead; Sarah figured it was the latter.

That was the first night she didn't dream of Jareth and of his sunshine and peaches.


	5. That Man's Gonna Be My Death

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! I am taking DefyMe's advice and am aligning everything normally. I use my phone to read my story and other stories and my dial-up to upload my chapters so I'll make that correction. Lol, your reviews were soo amazing and they made my heart explode. The **_**Labyrinth **_**is such a challenge to write about. I have no clue about the clothing styles and all that so if any of you have a website or something that would help me please submit. Lol Read, review and enjoy! And thankyouthankyouthankyou to all the other who've reviewed…it helps get the chapters rolling. Oh! And suggestions and ideas are greatly appreciated!**

It was mid-day a month after Sarah went through her own personal hell. She sat in her den with Toby, who was adamantly watching Sponge Bob and Dragon Ball Z at the same time, flipping through the channels.

Sarah sat curled up on the room length couch with a book in her hands. There were circles under her eyes.

Adjusting the white fluffy blanket she was curled up under, Sarah turned down the bottom corner of the page, a bad habit she knew, and closed her tired eyes. She knew she should keep fighting sleep. She no longer dreamed even when she did. She felt like she was going crazy. Her powers were even being stretched, not that she used them much anyways. She wanted to do everything the hard way and not be lazy.

Truth be told Sarah was scared to return to the Labyrinth, to even call her friends or the Goblin King, and that fear grew steadily over time. Sarah sighed deeply, gazing upon her brother's messy blond hair and she thought of another's mess of blond. A phantom ache startled her and she groaned. _I really must be losing it to even-ugh! _

"Sarah, you okay?" Toby's sweet little voice piped up. It always did wonders to melt Sarah.

Forcing a smile to tug at her lips she nodded to Toby. "I'm just tired Tobes. I haven't slept well."

Toby's eyes lit up like fireworks and he shot upstairs faster than Sarah could blink. Four-year-olds really were unstoppable. Then, just as suddenly he came rushing down with Sir Lancelot in his arms.

"Here Sarah, Lancelot always helps me sleep!" Toby spoke excitedly and thrust the worn bear into Sarah's arms.

At the sight of her giving brother Sarah couldn't help but smile a real smile and she reached out and ruffled the small boy's hair. "Thank you so much Toby. I am eternally grateful."

The little boy grinned sheepishly and slapped Sarah away, returning to his shows just as suddenly as he gave Sarah Sir Lancelot, muttering something about Vegeeta and Trunks.

Sarah held the bear to her and smiled at the warm memories it brought her. It didn't take long for Sarah to fall back asleep, this time dreaming of the old days when she was just a naïve girl playing at the park while a barn owl watched from his usual perch.

"Jareth," Sarah sighed in her sleep, his name escaping her lips as she dreamed of sunshine and peach trees.

The ground all around Sarah began to quiver and shake and she was brought out of her dream violently. Karen was shaking her awake.

"Jesus Sarah I told you to be ready by six! You've slept the day away." Karen complained as she quickly folded Sarah's comforter and jerked Lancelot out of Sarah's arms.

"Well don't just sit there, get ready! Go!" Karen commanded; the anger and frustration clearly evident on her face.

Sarah struggled to remember what it was she had to get ready for, then with a groan she remembered the party her dad's firm was having. It was a pretty huge deal for him and if the night went well he could be getting a raise, which meant more money going into Karen's ever expanding pocket.

Begrudgingly Sarah trudged upstairs and flung her bedroom door open to get ready. She showered and put her make-up on and fixed her hair into delicate waves. She couldn't decide on what to wear so she picked out her three favorite dresses and hung them up side by side by side. Sarah stood there in her underclothes, deciding: one was a thigh length bright red dress with a waist belt, the other was an emerald evening gown that flowed gracefully and the last was a royal blue evening gown with crystal blue trim.

"The emerald one really brings out your eyes Precious, although I prefer you as you are now." A silky voice, like smooth honey came from out of nowhere and then Sarah turned, startled.

Jareth stood there, leaning against her open window, with the cockiest, smuggest smirk plastered on his beautiful face.

Seething anger erupted in Sarah's belly and she could have screamed if it were not for Karen and Robert hearing. Instead she could only mutter under her breath.

Like hot daggers aimed at the smug king, Sarah seethed. "If you value your life you will leave."

Jareth just shrugged, making no motions to move. "I don't intend on leaving Precious, and I see you now as you are so the surprise is over," Jareth motioned with his gloved hand, "continue on like I'm not here."

Sarah's eyes widened incredulously and she could have killed him right then and there if she thought he even could be killed.

"Fine, if you won't leave then turn around and let me dress." Sarah muttered through clenched teeth. Jareth laughed and just closed his eyes.

Quickly, Sarah grabbed the blue dress and pulled it over her head, to spite Jareth.

Once decently clothed Sarah placed a delicate hand on her hip and questioned, "Why are you here Jareth? Make this quick because I'm kind of in a hurry."

Jareth opened his eyes and they widened for a split second before he blinked quickly. "Precious you look absolutely breath taking, pity I'm not your escort."

Sarah glared, "and why would I want you to be my escort?"

"You take too many things for granted Love." Jareth spoke scathingly.

"Is that so? Now, why are you here?" Sarah demanded, her hazel eyes losing their fire

"My reasons are my own, but to please 'Her Majesty' I will tell you. I am here to make sure you are still alive. After our last meeting and the time before that, I had to make sure-." Jareth spoke sarcastically at first, then softening at the end.

Sarah raised her eyebrows, "why would you care?"

Jareth glared at Sarah and then there was an anxious rap on her door, "Sarah we're going to be late. Come on this instant!"

In the second Sarah turned to face the door Jareth had vanished, leaving Sarah with even more unanswered questions.

Sarah growled and opened her door.

"I'm ready." Sarah spoke to her step mother and Karen sighed in relief.

"Well let's go." Karen spoke and then rushed Sarah downstairs to the family car where Robert was already waiting for them. They had Toby another sitter for the night because Sarah was old enough for them to show off and hopefully auction off.

The party was being held at one of Robert's friend's home at the other side of town, and there were plenty of people already there.

Karen, being overdramatic, became frantic upon arrival. "We're late, now we just need to make an entrance and maybe our tardiness will be forgiven."

Sarah seethed in the back seat and Robert just ignored his wife, his face etched into worry lines. He was so nervous. Sarah smiled and motioned her hands to her father, using her magic to grant him a little bit of serenity.

They exited the car and walked up the long cobblestone pathway leading to the house and a butler opened the door for them. No one even noticed really when the Williams' arrived, just that there was a real beauty amongst them.

Grown men gawked at Sarah as she followed her dad and step mom. Robert then walked off to join his colleagues while Karen began her 'tedious' task of introducing Sarah to every young and eligible bachelor, all of whom Sarah had no interest in.

Sarah and Karen then joined Robert, who was talking to a man who had his back to Sarah and Karen. He was very tall from all Sarah could tell, he had pitch black hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail. Something about his presence struck Sarah and suddenly she was afraid to step any closer.

"Ah, Karen, Sarah there you two are," Robert greeted then turned to the man, "these are my lovely wife and beautiful daughter."

Everything blurred as the man turned around. Sarah was shell shocked. There was something so familiar about his face, and something so sinister about his eyes. He was beautiful and terrifying and Sarah was suddenly wishing Jareth _had _been her escort.

The man held out a long, slender hand to Sarah, and in a British accent he spoke, "pleased to meet you Sarah Williams, my name is Daire Adelai."

Sarah reluctantly took the man's hand and cold shivers swept up her spine. She wanted to run, to hide, to go anywhere but here.

Karen immediately began pushing Sarah on Daire, hoping to get the two into a more romantic setting when Sarah clearly wasn't interested. Karen kept whispering to Sarah about how handsome he was and in her anger Sarah whispered back for Karen to leave Robert for him.

Daire didn't seem to be particularly interested in Sarah other than to smile sardonically and just be a nuisance. It was like he shared some secret with Sarah and Karen thought that meant they were hitting it off.

At the actual dinner Sarah was thankfully seated away from the grinning creepy man, and Sarah leaned forward with her hand on her chin, resting it while clinging at the glass of the only non alcoholic beverage at the party with a spoon.

Sarah kept glancing at Daire, who was so familiar and terrible. She didn't know what to make of it and she was anxious to return home.

As Sarah sat there, with Daire's eyes blaring into her soul Sarah whispered to herself, "I wish Jareth was here as my escort, then I'd feel safer." _Did I really just say that? Holy crap._

Almost instantly there was a tap on Sarah's shoulder. She turned her head and couldn't stop the smile from plastering itself on her face. She rose instantly to Jareth.

"Wow, you look almost normal, for a Fae king." She whispered, not even trying to hide the relief on her face.

Jareth did look almost normal. He had on a normal suit and his hair was even cut short.

Sarah hugged Jareth in normal greeting and also as more relief surged through her, plus she had to breathe in his scent again.

Jareth chuckled and then whispered, the vibrations of his chuckle sending heat waves coursing down Sarah's stomach, "Now Precious aren't you going to introduce me to your parents?"

Sarah pulled back, "of course," then she turned to her parents, who had curious expressions, "Karen, Dad, this is Jareth, he's an old friend. He was supposed to meet us earlier but he got held up."

Karen spoke first, "well I had no idea, nice to meet you Jareth."

Jareth took her hand, kissing it. Robert looked from Sarah to Jareth and then back again with a very fatherly expression of protectiveness clearly evident.

A place was made for Jareth to sit next to Sarah and he immediately took a glass of the owner's very best wine, slipping some into Sarah's glass.

"You look like you need it Precious." Jareth spoke under his breath.

"Thanks." Sarah muttered, feeling grateful for Jareth coming to her rescue.

All throughout dinner somehow Jareth managed to carry on with small talk while coming up with the story of how they 'met.'

He would glance over at Sarah and smirk and she would smirk right back at him. Sarah even went far enough as to make an innuendo regarding him seeing her almost naked. Sarah was having too far good of a time, enjoying the security of Jareth's presence next to her. It made her feel safe and cared for.

Sarah felt quite proud as he made no snide remarks or accusations and no one was sentenced to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

Daire disappeared, literally, when Jareth arrived and Sarah thanked the stars for that. So the question left was who was he?

Sarah needed to get Jareth alone in order to ask him about it so eventually Sarah excused herself, saying she needed fresh air, asking for Jareth to accompany her.

Sarah could already tell from the moment he arrived that he knew something was up.

Instead of heading out to the garden Jareth immediately transported them to the Labyrinth. They were in the hedge maze, where there were some ancient looking benches. Jareth didn't speak as he led Sarah over and she sat down.

Sarah spoke first, "there was this man there tonight." Then she stood and began pacing, not noticing how Jareth kept gazing longingly at her. "He was unlike anyone I've ever met. Just his presence alone was- I don't know, it scared me."

"Sarah, was it like the last two times you've been fraught with nightmares?" Jareth questioned.

Sarah rubbed her arms, "I don't know. It's so hard to tell," She then turned to face Jareth, fear in her eyes, "please, if you know anything, tell me."

Jareth sighed, suddenly looking older than time, "I know nothing now Precious."

"What do I do?"

Jareth stroked his chin in thought, "With your permission I'll keep a personal watch on you. I have duties to attend to but I can watch through my crystals if you just take down your spell. Until then I can only come when summoned."

Sarah thought for a moment, "but you do come when you're not summoned. You did earlier."

Jareth smirked, "you unknowingly summoned me Sarah. Wants can sometimes turn into wishes when they're strong enough."

Sarah glared. "I didn't _want _you in my room with me half naked."

"Are you sure Precious?" Jareth asked, his canines exposed he was grinning sarcastically so big.

"Of course I'm sure." Sarah spoke but then was hit with a memory, a dream.

The smirk grew ever wider on Jareth's face until he was flat out gloating. He had since returned to his normal attire and that made him all the more aggravating to Sarah.

"It's all a matter of innuendo Love. You wanted me there you just didn't specify when." Jareth spoke, his voice laced with honey and lust.

"You pervert!" Sarah screamed, anger bursting through. "How could you? You infuriating- UGH!"

Jareth laughed then, wholeheartedly. "You know you liked my being there Sarah, somewhere deep down. In your dreams perhaps?"

Surprise followed by anger so enraged if she wasn't so bent on not over using her powers he would be on fire and she would be dancing around him quite joyfully. "I can't believe you! You spy! You're worse than that, you're a Peeping Tom! What all have you seen?"

Jareth sighed, walked towards Sarah, her breath caught, "Enough to know you don't hate me, and you certainly wouldn't mind being in the nude around me."

One thing Jareth, King of Goblins, hadn't planned on was being slapped with the full force of Sarah's hand.

The blow had to have stung the King as he backed off and his eyes turned cold. "Now are you going to undo that spell or not? I DO have appointments to make today. I can't spend every waking moment catering to your every whim."

"What spell?" Sarah asked, frustration seeping out.

Jareth glared, "you know the one."

"No I don't!" Sarah screamed.

"Well then let me refresh you!" Jareth hissed and Sarah's vision flipped. She was staring at herself running to find Toby in the Escher room. Jareth was singing to her.

"_How you've turned my world you precious thing,_

_You starve and near exhaust me._

_Everything I've done I've done for you._

_I move the stars for no one._

_You've run so long,_

_You've run so far._

_You're eyes can be so cruel, _

_Just as I can be so cruel,_

_Though I do believe in you,_

_Yes I do._

_Live without your sunlight,_

_Love without your heartbeat,_

_I-I can't live within you."_

The words haunted Sarah like no other and then the view changed. Jareth was standing before her. He was begging her to take her dreams. Sarah wasn't paying attention, trying to remember the lines.

"_Look Sarah, look what I'm offering you, your dreams. I ask for so little, just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." Jareth begged, and then Sarah answered._

"_You have no power over me."_

Sarah stood there, stunned, "No way? That was the spell?"

Jareth nodded. "You must remove it for me to protect you."

Sarah shook her head, suddenly delirious. "No! It's a trick! It's all a trick to get me to remove it so that you can take Toby and make me your slave! That's why Daire disappeared when you arrived, he _was _you! And the nightmares, and the psycho labyrinth, that was all you too! No! I won't believe it. Get away! It was all a ploy to get close to me so that you can enslave me. I'm not falling for it."

"You stupid girl, can you not see what I was trying to tell you? Are you that daft? I'm trying to help you, to save your life. If you leave now I will not come back. At this point I'd rather help anyone but a delirious girl who can't see what's in front of her."

Sarah seethed; her chest hurting, "Goodbye Jareth."

Jareth glared, his mismatched eyes boring into her soul, "I hereby strip you of your powers and ban you from my labyrinth and its inhabitants Sarah Williams of the Above Ground."

There was a fierce ache in Sarah's chest and everything around her shifted violently and she was dropped onto the garden at the house the party was at.

For reasons unknown to Sarah she began to cry, her chest aching with emotional pain. It was like something vital had been stripped from her.

Sarah was dizzy with weakness and she collapsed in her grief. Robert and Karen had to look for Sarah after everyone left and when they found her Sarah was just sitting on the bench just staring into space.

**AN: Okay, so for some explanations I've decided to post the song that keeps giving me inspiration continuously and I've been using some of the words for the chapter titles. I'll post the other inspirational songs later as well. Keep in mind that not everything in this song is related to the story (a heck of a lot of it though) but it just keeps pulling at me. It is Emilie Autumn's 'Shalott.' (On another note the actual poem 'Shalott,' by Lord Alfred Tennyson is my all time favorite!)**

_**Shalott:**_

_**She's locked up with a spinning wheel**_

_**She can't recall what it's like to feel**_

_**She says, "this room's gonna be my grave, **_

_**And there's no one who can save me."**_

_**She sits down to her colored thread **_

_**She knows, lovers waking up in their beds**_

_**She says, "how long can I live this way**_

_**Is there no one I can pay to let me go?"**_

"_**Cause I'm half sick of shadows**_

_**I want to see the sky**_

_**Everyone loves to watch as the sun goes down**_

_**So why can't I?**_

_**And it's raining**_

_**And the stars are falling from the sky,**_

_**And the wind, and the wind I know it's cold,**_

_**I've been waiting**_

_**For the day I will surely die,**_

_**And it's here,**_

_**And it's here for I've been told**_

_**That I'll die before I'm old,**_

_**And the wind I know it's cold.**_

_**She looks up to the mirrored glass**_

_**she sees a handsome horse and a rider pass she says,**_

"_**That man's gonna be my death**_

'_**cause he's all I ever wanted in my life"**_

"_**And I know he doesn't know my name and that**_

_**all the girls are all the same to him **_

_**but I've still got to get out of this place**_

'_**cause I don't think I can face another night**_

_**Where I'm half sick of shadows**_

_**And I can't see the sky **_

_**Everyone else can watch as the tide comes in**_

_**So why can't I?"**_

_**And it's raining**_

_**And the stars are falling from the sky,**_

_**And the wind, and the wind I know it's cold,**_

_**I've been waiting**_

_**For the day I will surely die,**_

_**And it's here,**_

_**And it's here for I've been told**_

_**That I'll die before I'm old,**_

_**And the wind I know it's cold.**_

_**But there's willow trees**_

_**And little breezes, waves and walls and**_

_**Flowers**_

_**And there's moonlight every single night**_

_**As I'm locked in these towers**_

_**So I'll meet my death **_

_**But with my last breath**_

_**I'll sing to him my love**_

_**And he'll see my face in another place**_

_**And with that the glass above…**_

_**Cracked into a million bits**_

_**And she cried out "so the story fits**_

_**But then I could've guess it all along**_

'_**cause now some drama queen is gonna write a song for me"**_

_**She went to her little boat **_

_**And she broke the chains and began to float away,**_

_**And as the blood froze in her veins**_

_**She said, "Well then that explains a thing or two."**_

"_**Cause I know I'm the cursed one**_

_**I know I'm meant to die**_

_**Everyone else can watch as their dreams untie**_

_**So why can't I?**_

_**And it's raining**_

_**And the stars are falling from the sky,**_

_**And the wind, and the wind I know it's cold,**_

_**I've been waiting**_

_**For the day I will surely die,**_

_**And it's here,**_

_**And it's here**_

_**And it's here**_

_**And it's here**_

_**And it's here**_

_**And it's finally here**_

_**And it's raining**_

_**And the stars are falling from the sky,**_

_**And the wind, and the wind I know it's cold,**_

_**I've been waiting**_

_**For the day I will surely die,**_

_**And it's here,**_

_**And it's here for I've been told**_

_**That I'll die before I'm old,**_

_**And the wind I know it's cold…**_


	6. Unequivocal

**AN: Six reviews only? =,( lol I'll live, this story's for love and fun not reviews anyways. But to those who have THANK YOU! I'm so glad you love it and your reviews get me so excited I pop another chapter out sooner. THANKYOU! And please review, they make my day, really. And definitely enjoy. I hope I'm not rushing the story but I put the chapters out as they play out in my head and it's how it should be right? This story has a life of its own I swear, but music, even music NO ONE listens to, not even me, has been hitting me and hitting me with inspiration…Oh yea I'm a nerd. lol**

**DISCLAIMER: I could only ****wish**** I owned the Labyrinth...heehee… **

The return trip home, for Sarah Williams, was fraught with conflicting emotions. Anger took the place of despair and then back again. She sat in her seat, her father asking her what happened and offered no explanations for there were none. _I've ruined everything._

It was midnight upon their returning. Sarah got out of the car and looked up at the night sky, the moon round and full, watching down on her like a beacon, spotlighting her grief. _'I'll place the moon, within your heart.'_

Sarah started as the familiar crooning words echoed like a haunting melody and something squeezed in the pit of her stomach. Quickly, Sarah had to think back to the day's events. _He really was only trying to rule me, but then why do I feel guilty, like _I_ did something wrong?_

The walk upstairs only got Sarah more down, and when she entered her room it seemed to have lost its luster. Sarah undressed and showered, not really feeling anything. She then sat the foot of her bed letting her emotions take control. She even began crying again.

In all of her frustration Sarah couldn't figure out why she was crying. _Why should I? He's nothing to me. It's because I've lost the Labyrinth, yeah that _has _to be it, but then why do I feel like I'm lying to myself?_

Sarah lay back on her bed and sighed. All of the events from the day seemed to be drowning her and she felt drowsy, so drowsy…

_Thunder erupted all around Sarah and she jumped. She was in a dead field where winter had descended. Lightning struck the ground right before her. A scream built up in Sarah's chest but quickly dissipated as she saw something from far off, a flash of gold in this storm. How strange._

_Immediately Sarah began walking towards that singular gold streak where everything else around her was only lit up by the lightning clapping in the clouds._

"_It makes me think of Toby's favorite show Naruto, and the thunder clap thing, like someone up there is doing it on purpose." Sarah wondered aloud as she walked on._

_Nothing even struck her as strange save for the flash of gold. _

_There were no feelings here, only a sense of urgency, of finding the gold. This time it seemed futile. _

_The ground was mucky and the mud was sloshing around Sarah's bare feet. Bare?_

_Sarah looked down. She was only wearing a thin black dress that barely passed her hips._

"_Sarah," a voice whispered in her head and Sarah whipped around, looking for the source of the voice. It sounded like bitter chocolate, and it replaced the sense of urgency with a sense of fear in Sarah's mind. She had heard that voice before._

"_Who are you?" Sarah screamed into the storm, her voice becoming lost in the thunder._

_All around her the clouds seemed to swoop down to her and the world tilted violently and suddenly she was standing vertical._

_Again she asked, her voice breaking, "Who are you?"_

"_Why Sarah, you know me, you've always known me." The voice drawled._

_Sarah began running down a sort of hill that led straight into the clouds and the lightning._

"_How do I know you if I don't know you," Sarah asked again, becoming aggravated. "Who are you really?"_

"_Just who do you think I am Sarah Williams?" The voice whispered then in Sarah's ear. She shivered as animosity leaked from its poisonous lilt. _

"_I don't know; how could I?" Sarah asked and then a thought came to her. "Jareth is that you?"_

_A dark chuckle, "No Sarah, I am all the darkness of the world and of the realms. I am the King of Terror, nightmares, torture, dark imagination but no Sarah; I am much, much worse."_

_A bomb went off in Sarah's chest. So he wasn't Jareth, then that would mean…_

"_Sarah welcome to your new home. When you least expect it you'll be back here, in _my _kingdom, in your waking life or in your dreams, it matters not. I'm with you now, forever, and trust me Sarah when I say that forever is a long, long time."_

_The ground all around Sarah tilted again and everything was upside down. Now she was in the lightning, in the clouds and nothing made sense. Everything was a haze, a fog. Sarah didn't understand what was going on._

_Her hair stood straight up as she was upside right side down. From far off Sarah saw a flash of gold and she then understood that it was _him_._

_The voice returned, "Sarah Sarah, always searching and never finding, never seeing what is right in front of you, never reaching your destination. You've dug your grave this time," He paused for dramatic effect, "Precious," He chuckled some more, "You really were to him and now you're just fragile. Sarah, I am your worst nightmares incarnate, everything you've ever feared, everyone you loved are just pawns in my game for your destruction."_

_Then the voice was gone and Sarah saw the flash of gold again and heard a sigh mixed in with the thunder, "such a pity."_

"_Why do you want me," Sarah screamed as loudly as she could to no avail. The ground shook once more and gravity fled and then Sarah was falling, falling…_

Before she knew it Sarah was back in her room, on her bed and what greeted her was silence. Sarah hopped up from the bed and went to her mirror, beginning to beat on it.

"Jareth, Jareth! I need you! Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus please answer me!" Sarah beat on the mirror, yearning for it to melt into her labyrinth but there was nothing but silence and Sarah collapsed against her wall. "It all really is gone isn't it?"

Sarah didn't sleep that night, or a few nights after. Robert and Karen began to worry about her and suggested she see a doctor.

Ill tempered from lack of sleep Sarah growled at them and spat out, "Why should I need to see a doctor, I'm _fine._"

Days progressed into weeks with Sarah getting little to no sleep. What was worse was that Sarah began hallucinating.

It all started when Sarah was at the local pool with Toby. She was tired enough but Toby kept on begging and begging her and Sarah really was a sucker for her sweet little brother so she finally agreed.

Toby grabbed his swim trunks and Sarah adorned her bikini under her clothes and they were off.

The pool was over crowded and squealing splashing kids were everywhere.

"Sarah! Sarah!" A voice called out and Sarah turned.

Amy was there with her little sister in tow, and she greeted Sarah with a warm hug and then a concerned frown.

"Sarah what's wrong with you, you look awful?" Amy questioned, using the back of her hand to feel Sarah's forehead, "and the dark circles under your eyes."

Sarah brushed her off, shrugging, "It's nothing I just haven't gotten much sleep."

"No kidding girl. You look like the walking dead!"

That got Toby's attention and he made jerky movements with his limbs then tried to bite Sarah. "Brains. I want juicy brains for din-ner."

Sarah giggled and pushed Toby aside, brushing off the creeping drowsiness. "Tobes stop it."

Toby just giggled and then grabbed Amy's sister Valerie and dragged her off to the kiddy pool.

"Kids, gotta love 'em, just not for us right now." Amy commented and then motioned to the chairs closest to the pool, "Let's sit over here."

Nodding, Sarah followed Amy to the beach chairs and plopped down next to her friend.

Immediately Amy began interrogating Sarah. "So what's really wrong?"

The beach chair pulled and pinched at Sarah but she couldn't have begun to care. "Nothing Amy I'm just having bad dreams."

Sarah's dark hair got hung in the chair as she sat up. It stung, but it still elicited no acknowledgment from Sarah.

Toby and Valerie were giggling like crazy, trying to beat each other up with another child's beach ball. That child was just watching calmly, standing there like a statue.

There was an invisible pull Sarah kept feeling tug at her but she tried to shrug it off, talking small talk with Amy. The two agreed to spend the day together since their siblings seemed to be hitting it off so well. That was when Amy admitted her dirty little secret. She was obsessed with the labyrinth. Ever since she read it when she borrowed it from Sarah it had become the object of her many paintings and fantasies.

Sarah tried to play it cool to no avail. Upon Amy's first mention of the labyrinth Sarah flinched too visibly and Amy's eyebrows immediately rose in curiosity. Sarah could already tell she'd have to come up with a viable explanation for that one later.

No matter how hard she tried, Sarah's gaze kept on falling on the little kid standing next to Toby and Valerie. She was so still and silent, just watching calmly.

Sarah nudged Amy and motioned to the kid, "what is up with her?"

Amy squinted, "the kid next to Val?"

Sarah nodded, "yeah she hasn't moved."

"And? Maybe she's just shy. Look how pretty she is." Amy added.

The girl was pretty. She had golden skin and golden hair that hung all the way down her back in thick waves but she was so still. It was so bizarre.

"Wonder where her guardian is?" Sarah muttered, standing.

"Sarah, what are you-." Amy spoke but Sarah was already heading in that general direction, her raven hair flapping in the sudden breeze.

Sarah's skin crawled and chill bumps swept up her arms. Absentmindedly Sarah rubbed her arms and continued on.

Toby and Valerie paid no mind to the little girl and even less mind to Sarah's walk over there.

The little girl was watching them so intently, her eyes so focused on Toby and Valerie. A word came to Sarah, _seizure_.

"Hey, little girl, are you okay?" Sarah asked but the girl didn't move.

Toby and Valerie continued on in their game as Sarah drew near. She was at the edge of the tiny pool.

Pushing a stray lock of hair behind her hear, Sarah kneeled down and tapped on the girl's shoulder. All at once she turned to Sarah, anger in her eyes.

"Your fault," she screamed, "your fault!"

Bewildered Sarah jumped back. "I didn't do anything."

The girl's eyes met Sarah. They were a startling crystal blue, so dazzling. "It's your fault your fault your fault!"

Toby and Valerie paid no attention to the little girl but Amy was walking towards them, concerned for Sarah.

"What's my fault?" Sarah asked, confused wholeheartedly.

The sight of the little girl's eyes watering made Sarah want to cry with her so she reached her arms out, wanting to comfort the child.

At the sight of Sarah's arms the little girl backed away. "No! No chance now! All gone!"

Sarah got the feeling that she wanted her to hold her in that her eyes were pleading little spheres of crystals.

"What did I do?" Sarah asked, her voice quivering. "What must I do?"

The girl shook her head, tears streaming down her pretty little face, her lips red and pouty. "All gone, all gone."

"Please." Sarah pleaded but the girl began to cry harder. Then when Sarah attempted to bring the girl into her arms she jerked away so violently Sarah feared for her.

"You can't, not now not ever! All gone!" The little girl squealed then stood still, her lips quivering.

"I'm sorry. What's your name?" Sarah asked.

The girl looked up at Sarah and whispered, "Melody."

"Melody," Sarah whispered to herself, _how unique and very pretty…_

Very suddenly Melody's eyes widened greatly and she began breathing hard. "He's back."

Then Melody's face contorted and sunk in, graying, her eyes darkening into black orbs.

"Told you I'd be with you always." Melody growled at Sarah, no longer Melody Sarah could tell, and then pounced on Sarah.

Sarah jerked back and hit Amy.

"Sarah what are you doing?" Amy asked exasperatedly.

"What do you mean?"

Amy widened her eyes in a 'how the hells do you not know what I mean' expression.

"I was talking to the little girl not kidnapping her." Sarah tried explaining; guessing that that was what Amy was talking about.

"What little girl? What the hell Sarah?" Amy asked.

"What do you mean? The little girl that was standing next to Toby and Valerie, she was acting so strange."

"Sarah that little girl left with her father, did you not see him?" Amy whispered to Sarah.

Sarah squinted, "her father?"

"Uh, yeah, the really tall guy with the inky black hair. I guess she got too upset and when she started crying he took her home." Amy explained.

_Inky black, _Sarah's blood froze but there was nothing she could do. Whatever had happened it would be explained later, in her dreams.

"I'm sorry," Sarah apologized, "I'm just tired."

Amy nodded and the girls gathered the two kiddos up to get some flavored ice.

Eventually Toby and Valerie became cranky and Sarah and Amy loaded up in Sarah's dad' dad's car since Amy and Valerie had been dropped off, and headed back to Sarah's.

Robert and Karen were both at work so the house was empty which made Toby automatically think 'party time.'

The two kids were left in Toby's room and Sarah led Amy to her own room.

Immediately Amy began perusing through Sarah's things.

"Your room is so neat." Amy commented.

"Um, _thanks_?" Sarah asked as she sat down on her bed.

Amy plopped down onto the chair next to her vanity and all Sarah could think about was how bizarre it had been when Jareth had sat there. She felt herself actually giggle.

Continuing on her quest, Amy finally stumbled upon _the _book again. Sarah felt her chest clench and her stomach tighten. _It's not fair._

Amy propped the book open and glanced through it. "I miss this story. Do you still remember our only convo about the book?"

Sarah nodded, stretching her legs out on the bed, thinking about how tired she was. She ran her hands through her hair and a phantom thought struck her, a memory, a dream of another's hands gently holding her hair, running his hands through it. Again Sarah's stomach tightened.

"You know how many paintings I've drawn about the Labyrinth now? I've drawn a few dozen and I still can't see how you can't see that the king loved the princess." Amy thought for a moment and then added, "You know, you act a lot like her, the princess."

Sarah looked up, trying to hide the sudden surprise. "I do?"

"Well yeah, I mean the princess was just as hard-headed." Amy said while going through Sarah's vanity.

"True." Sarah agreed, standing up then walking to her window. She opened it wide, almost expecting a barn owl to invade her bedroom, finding she wanted it to. _Does this mean all magic is gone from my life except the dark kind? And what about what that creature said, that he would be with me forever? What am I to do about that without Jareth? And Jareth, I've really messed things up by blaming him. Now I can't patch things up. Everything's so twisted._

Valerie started screaming in Toby's room so Amy promptly had to call her mom to come and get them.

Sarah spent the next few days contemplating everything she had learned and getting nowhere.

The so called 'King of Dark Imagination' hadn't made a re-appearance and Sarah was grateful for that and she began to dream normal dreams again. It took another month before Sarah had another nightmare. It was simple, plain, just darkness, aching darkness, but what was so horrible was that she had this horrible yearning but she didn't know what it was for and that was the worst part, not knowing.

It wasn't until August that the nightmares grew with their intensity, battering Sarah at every turn but somehow Sarah kept escaping the ultimate ending of the dreams, her death, which she figured really would be the end of her.

Over time Sarah grew restless, yearning for her labyrinth and her magic, wondering what its king was up to.

Once in a while she would be outside and the breeze would hit her face and bring with it the smell of sunshine and peaches and she would cry.

Sarah sat in her room late into the night one night, staring out of her window as it rained. Her old doll that had Jareth's likeness was in her hands and she kept gazing at it, looking for what she didn't know.

Her fingers entangled in the fake strands of hair and her eyes kept wandering over the dolls face, its clothes, looking for pieces of _him _in it.

Then with all of the force a great typhoon it hit her and Sarah was so overwhelmed she fell off her bed. She sat; her eyes wide and her heart beating so frantically she thought it really would explode.

From downstairs Karen kept yelling up at her to go to bed so finally Sarah gave up the fight, but as her fingers traced the switch to flip the lights off Sarah looked to her mirror and whispered, her voice full of sadness. "But what no one knew was that the Princess had fallen in love with the Goblin King-."

"Sarah!"

"Alright already!" Sarah screamed back and lay down to go to sleep.


	7. Midnight Flight

**AN: Ugh! FINALLY! This chapter has been so mean to me! I have re-written it a thousand times and it's still not exactly how I want it but it's the best I got for it right now; I'll re-do it eventually. The jist is down at least and this much has taken me foreeever.**

**Thanks for the reviews! They get me so pumped! And ooh yeah Sarah grates on Jareth's nerves, that is why they love each other so. They've really messed up this time though right? The both of them strike me as way too hard-headed and impulsive so of course I have to incorporate that or this fanfic won't be worthy of the Labyrinth.**

**As always read, REVIEW, and ENJOY! I'm so glad you all love it so far. I hope it lives up to your expectations.**

**Oh, and one other note, one of the last few lines of the last chapter was a pull from 'Mulan,' 'all the force of a great typhoon,' because my eleven month old wants to watch it nonstop and that song was in the background, and hey it fit.**

It was in September that the nightmares and hallucinations reached their peak. Sarah would crawl out of bed and right into another nightmare where Toby would be begging for his life. Sarah stopped going anywhere. It got too public when the hallucinations would start in full view of everyone at the local galleria.

Robert threatened to send her to a psychiatrist but Sarah kept reassuring her father that everything was fine. She could tell though, in the way that the worry lines creased in his forehead, that he was worried about her.

Sarah hardly trusted herself to be anywhere near Toby. She almost hurt her dear little brother one evening when he turned into a creature that, in her mind, tried to kill her. All Sarah could do anymore was curl up on her bed and await the next nightmare. She gave up trying to fight them for there was no winning with them, just an endless stream of haunts that kept becoming worse.

The worst ones though were the ones that involved Jareth. Daire would flaunt what Sarah lost, would show her what she could never have and shove it in her face. Then he would proceed to torture the dream Jareth. It never ended for her. Sarah Williams felt like she was losing her mind. It was a consistent nonstop torture being battered by those horrific images; and more than once Sarah had to cover the cuts, gashes and bruises brought on from the torture.

More than anything the lack of news of anything from her labyrinth battered Sarah. It was heart shattering and even worse was the realization that Jareth would not come to her rescue. He had made that quite clear. She would have to fight this battle alone unlike when she had conquered the labyrinth; then she had had the best of friends by her side. _And all of whom will never speak to me again and it's all my fault._

One evening, after being through a particularly rough patch of thorns and hearing the false Jareth laughing maniacally somewhere in the background, Sarah decided she'd had enough. She was going to put her foot down and try to figure out a way to talk to Jareth although she still wouldn't fully admit her feelings. In order to stop her depression from worsening she tried to believe that what she felt was just the side effect from losing her 'real' home.

Charging up stairs, Sarah stood in front of her mirror and began demanding to speak to Jareth. She refused to let up that time though. Robert was at work and Karen and Toby were out.

Sarah strategically placed Jareth's, Hoggle's, Ludo's, and Sir Didymus' dolls all around her, figuring that if she surrounded herself in that old magic it would work.

"Hoggle!" Sarah screamed and beat on the mirror, the glass' weight was still substantial.

"Goblin King, Jareth!" Sarah screamed even louder, tears threatening to spill.

No matter how hard she tried it was to no avail. Jareth wasn't coming and neither were her dear friends.

There was a noise outside Sarah's window. Karen and Toby were back. Sarah walked over to her window and looked out. The little blond haired boy was bouncing around, dancing, and Karen looked very agitated. Sarah raised her eyebrows in question. She wondered what Toby was obsessing over that time.

Sarah found her little brother in the den jumping up and down on the couch, humming some tune. He beamed his bright white smile when he saw his sister and he began singing.

"You remind me of the babe." Toby stated simply.

Sarah frowned, "What babe?"

"The babe with the power." Toby gestured all around, his eyes alight with wonder.

"What power?" Sarah asked, oh yeah she was confused.

"The power of voodoo." Toby sang, forcing his eyes to furrow in intensity.

"Who does?" Sarah asked.

"You do!" Toby stated indignantly.

Sarah was getting frustrated, "Do what?"

"Remind me of the babe." Toby sang, giggling and laughing.

"Toby what are you-." Sarah started but was interrupted.

"Quiet! A goblin babe." Toby interrupted his sister.

Sarah stared wide eyed, it sounded like something he, _no I won't think of it._

"T-Toby, where did you hear that?" Sarah asked, walking to the couch where her brother proceeded to kick a pillow clear across the room.

Toby looked to Sarah, "I remember. Funny man sang it to me when I was a baby."

There was a jello like feeling coursing through Sarah's legs and they lost their strength. Sarah fell to the floor. What did this mean then, if Toby was remembering something Jareth sang to him when Toby was just a year old?

Toby stopped and came over to Sarah, placing his small fists in Sarah's hair. "You okay Sissy?"

Sarah smiled and nodded, "yeah Tobes, just shocked me."

Toby accepted that instantly as all young kids do, thinking he did something completely awesome in shocking his older sister.

"Okay Sarah, it's time to talk." Came the shrill voice of Karen and Sarah started. _I wonder what's twisted in her panties?_

"What Karen?" Sarah asked, her dark eyebrows rising in agitation.

After leading Sarah upstairs to her bedroom Karen took stock of the place. "Here's the thing Sarah, and you're not going to like it."

Sarah waited.

"Sarah it's time you grew up and found your place in the world. I haven't spoken with Robert on this yet but I know he'll agree with me wholeheartedly. It's time you left here and became a woman. You simply cannot live like a child anymore. It's time you went out and met people. A date or two won't hurt. Quite frankly Sarah we're worried about you. You had such a bright future ahead of you and now you hole yourself up like a hermit, barely ever coming out of here. Since you have no inclination of heading off to college anytime soon, which has deeply hurt your father, who's spent most of his life building up a trust fund, well let's not get into that, but needless to say Sarah, you're going to leave this place," Karen's tone grew softer, "we love you but some tough love has got to come into effect before you're stuck mooching for the rest of your life. We just want you to become a reasonable, mature woman."

Sarah's eyes gaped open and her heart began racing, _leave, now? I might lose contact with the Labyrinth forever now. I can't, I won't!_

"So start packing Sarah. Tough love is in effect." Karen reasoned and Sarah knew that was that.

"I can't believe this! How can you do this to me? Where will I go?" Sarah spoke quickly, not wanting her fear to take hold.

"You'll figure it out Sarah." Karen ended and that was the end of the conversation

Sarah flew up to her room in a rampage, dragged her duffel bag out from under bed, and slammed it on her bed as hard as she could.

In a tearing agony she grabbed what clothes she could and stuffed them inside, leaving all of her most valuable possessions on her vanity.

When her father got home from work Sarah was completely packed and ready. His conversation with Karen was quick and he completely agreed with her.

Sarah tearfully hugged Toby and said goodbye to Karen. Robert was going to drive her to who knows where so he helped her with her bags.

Once they were in the car though, he handed Sarah an envelope.

His face was withdrawn and sad as he looked at his only daughter. "You'll always be my baby; you know that Sarah, but sometimes in life you don't get everything handed to you. I think this change will be good for you, help you build character."

"I know daddy, but where will I go, what will I do?"

Robert motioned to the envelope and Sarah pried it open. Inside was a card, just a card.

"It has your entire savings account in it from when I discovered your mother was pregnant. There's enough for you to last a while but you will need to find a job to help support yourself, it can only go so far. I love you baby girl. Call every day."

And then Robert dropped Sarah off at the airport, not knowing that the next few days of his life would be his hell.

Everything in Sarah's head was swimming and her emotions were floundering. She had no idea what to do, where to go. She couldn't go to the one place she wanted to more than anything.

Sarah bought a ticket and finally got a ticket to head to the mountains. Some pretty scenery with not a lot of people Sarah figured would be beneficial.

All that arrived in North Carolina were her bags. Sarah was nowhere to be found.

When Sarah went to board her flight everything changed. Every person, every object, every noise, fluttered and faded and disappeared from sight and Sarah was falling...falling.

Everything was moving so fast she felt like Alice falling through the rabbit hole.

Every nerve in her body was a live wire as she fell. The ground rushed up to meet her and Sarah tried to brace herself to roll so that maybe she wouldn't be too badly injured.

The ground she landed on was actually quite soft and she wasn't dead yet so she wondered if that was a plus, which she began to doubt as she got a look at her surroundings.

It was midnight wherever she was and wherever she was she knew was definitely unfamiliar, and even more so the creepiest place she had ever set foot in.

Sarah walked forward to greet this new place and gasped, frightened. Before her was the edge of a cliff overlooking what Sarah could only surmise was a kingdom.

The land that lay before her was an ominous place. Everything within view was decked out in its creepiest décor.

The buildings were gnarly and black; they all twisted out of normal shape. Bile rose in Sarah's stomach and then her gaze fell upon the castle.

It was massive and black and contorted so oddly Sarah had no words, only a burning feeling that she would meet her doom. She didn't know what was going on, and she didn't care. She just wanted to get away, to be in her labyrinth again. _I would give anything to have a second chance._

After falling so far it was a wonder to Sarah that she was on a cliff. _A bit Ironic actually._

_What is that vibration? The ground beneath me is rumbling, almost like a-, _and then the ground crumbled and Sarah fell again. This time she seemed to fall infinitely and her vision flipped and she was departed into a room.

_What the hell is going on? Everything keeps changing. _Sarah didn't even try to make sense of it. She would just accept whatever was going on. The room she was in was an expensively decorated room with crimson and dashes of black dressing the furniture. The ornately decorated rug was a crimson red with black thorns twisting and winding their way through a large heart.

A shadow crossed Sarah's peripheral and she whipped around.

The same man from her dad's work party was standing there with a huge sardonic grin plastering his terrifying handsome features.

"Welcome to my kingdom Sarah. I hope you find your new accommodations very _pleasing_. Well you might as well make yourself at home here even though you won't be here for long." His grin widened even more so and his eyes held some awful secret Sarah was sure would be her ruin.

"Why the hell am I here, what's going on?" Sarah demanded, striding to the King of that awful land.

The man's shape and form twisted, turning into a familiar figure and the fake Jareth she had met before was laughing at her. "Why Sarah, is it not that obvious? Your death is my escape."

Sarah furrowed her eyebrows. "What? I don't get it."

The false Jareth laughed, throwing his head back and then catching Sarah by the hand and pulled her close to him. His breath stank of rust and decay. "Welcome to your nightmare," he paused, "Precious."

Sarah glared and hit the man across his cheek. "Don't ever call me that! Why have you been torturing me for so long? What did I ever do to you?"

The fake Jareth grinned, shuddering back into that other form. "And why not, because your Goblin King calls you that? Don't make me laugh Sarah. You're quite pathetic really. Tell me Sarah, if you're so precious to him then why isn't he here to save you? And as for the reason why I've been torturing you what's so wrong with a little foreplay before your death? It's not as much fun just to kill, not when I have so many resources."

What Daire said angered Sarah and he knew it. He laughed again and pulled Sarah close to him. "I can see though, why he would have such a fascination with you. You're quite pretty, for a mortal girl, although you're not pretty enough to be spared."

There was a stinging pain as Daire hit Sarah with all of his force.

Sarah wouldn't scream; she couldn't let him win even as the pain smarted and tears threatened to spill. She dared not talk because of the force her lips were quivering.

Daire's eyes took on an eerie glint and Sarah froze. Everything in the room became cold. Her own hot breath was visible as she breathed out.

A hiss echoed through the air and Sarah looked in the general direction it was coming from. The only light in the room was candle light and it threw odd shadows on the floor. Sarah peered closely and she began to shake.

Out from the shadows rose creatures that were more air than physically there. The things smelled like sick and decay, and they hissed continuously. They slowly came forward, intent on Sarah.

Daire laughed from where he was, "and now for the entrée. I'm sorry to cut our fun short Sarah, but you see I have business to attend to and a vendetta to settle."

Forcing her legs not to give out, Sarah slowly stood, her legs wobbling unsteadily. Her vision was encompassed with the shadow things.

"What are those things?" Sarah asked but Daire had already disappeared, his voice echoing ominously in the room, "Such a pity."

The Shadows crept closer to Sarah, long formless fingers stretching infinitely towards her. She shuddered and took a step backwards. She knew she had to find out a way to get past them. No way would she give up without a fight. Children gave up not someone with Sarah's experience and she had already defeated Daire's fake Labyrinth before. _Yeah, but Jareth came to your rescue then didn't he? He won't come this time._

_Ah ha! _Sarah thought with triumph. There, between the formless shadows, was a small gap that had just enough space for Sarah to dart through to get to the hallway beyond. She actually smiled as she tensed her muscles, and then darted forward as quickly as her tired muscles would allow.

Sarah had barely a second to spare and the shadows just barely touched her skin as Sarah ran past them. The hallway was just like every other inch of the twisted castle with candle light lighting the way and an intricate web of black thorns twisted and turned along the crimson walls.

Unlike Jareth's palace this place just looked twisted and was easy to navigate as Sarah sped along the corridors, the shadows trailing behind her.

_Think Sarah, think THINK. _Sarah ordered herself and turned another corner, arriving at the throne room. Daire was nowhere to be seen and Sarah stopped for a moment. There were no subjects here. _How strange, _but Sarah shrugged the thought off and looked around her, there had to be something she could do.

Another thing Sarah noticed was just how slow the shadows were, creeping along making their strange hissing sounds that almost sounded like a mix between a rattle snake and an old man wheezing.

They also traveled by candle light, holding close to the lighted areas but not enough to have to disappear. _If only I could cause more light would they go away?_

Cold struck Sarah again, causing involuntary shudders in her and she shook it off. _I'm running out of options here, I can't run forever and these things don't seem to be giving up._

Sarah walked to the end of the throne room where a single wooden door was and she kicked it open when it wouldn't budge.

The room was pitch-black save for a slither of light coming from another room at the end. Sarah almost sighed in relief. That room was filled with light and Sarah could see the outline of the door it was coming from. It was a rotten old thing that would be no problem getting through.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Sarah stepped through and was immediately thrown up against a wall. The breath was knocked out of her, leaving her gasping. A searing pain erupted at the back of Sarah's head from where it was knocked against the hard stone.

Sarah's stomach churned dangerously when she saw the darkness move and she then realized her mistake. _Of _course _it was a trap! I'm so stupid!_

Sarah was shifted violently again, this time she was thrown to the floor face first, her cheek hitting the stone and then they were on her.

Cold enveloped Sarah and she felt like she had jumped into an icy lake. Every inch of her was numb as the shadows surrounded her, formless in the darkness.

There was a terrible sucking sound and Sarah could feel a strange pull coming from somewhere inside her. A tingling sensation came from the numbness that started at her toes and Sarah wondered if she was dying, realizing she was right. _This can't be the end, aren't there supposed to be happy endings? _Sarah could almost chuckle at that thought, _don't be naïve silly girl, you should know by now there are no happy endings and Jareth isn't going to save you._

A weight pressed down on Sarah's chest and she found it hard to breath. Lethargy was settling in and Sarah felt hopeless. _I really shouldn't have been so delusional that day and let Jareth keep an eye on me. _Sarah's eyes widened even in her mental slowness. _Of course!_

Even in the state Sarah was in her voice echoed above the strange hissing that wasn't hissing but sucking. "But what no one knew was that the Princess had fallen in love with the Goblin King, and so she gave him back his power over her!"


	8. Love Me That's All I Ask of You

**AN: I'm not explaining too much in this chapter for reasons that'll be explained later on...heehee and FLUFF ALERT! FLUFF, FLUFF FLUFFY FLUFFNESS CAUSE I WANTS SOME FLUFF FINALLY AND THEY DESERVE IT! I gottsa set the mood so music time! I don't normally do this kind of music though, which I may again at the end because there's another song I'm using, but I found this song and it is perfect so forgive. It is…*winces* Mandy Moore's 'Cry.' And always read, review and enjoy! Oh and btw I have 'Phantom of the Opera' on the brain, it's my drug. The song between Christine and Raoul is my inspiration but I'm a big Phantom fan (got to see the Off Broadway performance when I was sixteen… amazing!) **

_**Cry**_

_I'll always remember_

_It was late afternoon._

_It lasted forever_

_And ended so soon._

_You were all by yourself_

_Staring up at a dark gray sky _

_I was changed._

_In places no one will find_

_All your feelings so deep inside._

_Was there that I realized_

_That forever was in your eyes_

_The moment I saw you cry._

_It was late in September_

_And I'd seen you before._

_You were always the cold one, _

_But I was never that sure._

_You were all by yourself_

_Staring up at a dark gray sky,_

_I was changed._

_In places no one will find_

_All your feelings so deep inside,_

_Was there that I realized_

_That forever was in your eyes,_

_The moment I saw you cry._

_I wanted to hold you_

_I wanted to make it go away, _

_I wanted to know you _

_I wanted to make your everything alright._

_I'll always remember _

_It was late afternoon,_

_In places no one will find_

_All your feelings so deep inside,_

_Was there that I realized _

_That forever was in your eyes_

_The moment I saw you cry._

A roaring wind exploded and burst through every window, tearing straight into the room where Sarah was trapped. Sarah couldn't hold on any longer though; everything went black and she slid to the ground, her head feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds.

Time passed in an infinite span. Sarah had no inkling as to what was up or down. There was just an endless blackness, and Sarah felt heavy, like a giant anvil sat on her chest; no conscious thought though, could break the surface for her to even guess at what was happening. All Sarah could do was let a complete murkiness envelope her.

The fuzzy emptiness seemed to last forever as Sarah waited, patiently. Finally there was an unpleasant tingling sensation that started in the tips of her fingers. It was painful and continued to slowly creep up her arms like many insects.

Buzzing erupted in Sarah's ears and the noise was so loud and obnoxious. She couldn't make out the distinctions in the sounds just that it sounded like a thousand bees were at her ears. The noise hurt her ears like a speakerphone was blaring right beside her.

The tingling and the buzzing made everything so annoying. Sarah knew though that those were just the unpleasant sensations that went along with waking up from a coma. _Wow so it was that bad? How did I get out of there? Or did I?_

Finally, after waiting for so long, Sarah could make out individual sounds from the noises like a heartbeat monitor steadily beeping and then she heard her father.

"Will she be alright?" Robert asked but Sarah couldn't make out what the answer was and his answering sigh hurt Sarah's ears. It was too similar to that buzzing sensation.

It was a long time, Sarah figured but she had no way of knowing, before she could make out another voice among the high pitched buzz.

"Sarah, Sarah?" The voice was youthful, feminine, Amy, "Come back and join us okay? We all need you here and you know better than to keep us waiting. Your dad is losing his mind with worry and well, you're the only friend that I've kept in contact with since we graduated. I kinda need you."

_How interesting that they think Amy is going to be the one to bring me back. There's only one being that I want to see, was it he that rescued me? Did what I say actually work? I was supposed to die there I know that so that must have been…_Sarah had to break off that line of thought. The actual thinking process caused a siren to go off in her head and it caused searing pain to erupt in her forehead. Not to mention the tingling now completely encompassed her and it hurt. It was worse than a foot falling asleep. Sarah wanted to writhe away from it but she knew that wouldn't be possible.

Sarah felt the strength that the tingling was giving her, even though she could feel that if she tried to move it would be like moving immediately after waking from a dream.

It took a little while longer but then finally Sarah trusted her bodily functions enough to peer out of her eyes. Blinding bright white light hit her square in the eyes and Sarah winced involuntarily.

Immediately there was movement all around her as people formed around her bedside. At first all Sarah could make out was fuzzy shapes.

Sarah allowed time for her eyes to focus in. Eventually she saw Karen and Robert; Karen's face was tear stained and Robert look worn beyond his years. His face lit up when he saw Sarah looking at him and he bent down and kissed his daughter's forehead.

Robert whispered unintelligible things to Sarah, whom was overcome with exhaustion. Sarah knew when the nurses and doctor came in to examine her, exclaiming that she was just exhausted and that the best medicine would be for her to be home resting.

Groggily, Sarah dressed out of the hospital gown. They had to use a wheel chair to get her down to the bottom floor, leading her out to the front where Amy had pulled the car around for them.

Sarah climbed into the car and passed back out, only waking to stumble up the stairs to her bedroom.

When Sarah woke again she had Sir Lancelot held in her arms cuddling with it. It took Sarah a moment to reassure herself that it was not a trick. "I'm alive and safe and back to my room."

Sarah sat up in bed and stretched her tired muscles, letting the satisfying crack pop pleasantly.

Her room was as it was when she left, emptier than before but still welcoming.

There was a light rap on the door and Amy came inside her room. "Wow Sarah, you know you scared the crap out of all of us right? What happened? The official story is that you've been mugged."

"If only," Sarah muttered and Amy's eyebrows rose. Sarah didn't bother explaining.

Amy crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. "Explain."

Sarah sighed and moved to get out of bed. Dizziness threatened Sarah but she pushed it aside. There was something familiar moving up and down her veins. Her heart began beating frantically. The sensation was an old and welcome one; one she had missed terribly and suddenly she knew what she had to do. The dizziness presented Sarah with hope for in her veins she felt the swirl of the magic that had left her.

Sarah fought back the dizziness and clambered out of bed, stumbling to her dresser. She had to dress quickly. _I have to get to him. I have to know if he rescued me._ Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears she couldn't hear her friend. She only thought of the labyrinth waiting for her.

Out of the dresser came Sarah's short emerald green dress; she stripped off her clothes and pulled the dress over her head quickly. Excitement swelled inside Sarah and she couldn't stop the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"What the hell are you doing Sarah? You're supposed to be resting!" Amy spoke, walked over to Sarah and tried to pull her back towards her bed.

Anger got the best of Sarah and she jerked her friend's arm back, her hazel eyes more green than gray. "No! Too many things have been holding me back. I have to go to him!"

Amy staggered back, "What, to whom?"

Sarah wasn't thinking about anything other than returning to her labyrinth though and Amy was the very least of her worries. She didn't even bother putting on anything to go on her feet as she hurried.

"Sarah you have to come with me." Amy ordered and then proceeded to pounce on Sarah. "You're coming with me downstairs so that we can talk about this craziness. Your dad and step mom are so worried about you!"

"No Amy, I have to hurry to him!" Sarah argued but Amy pulled her along regardless.

_Damn! For Amy's small frame she's strong and I'm too weak to struggle. Maybe the labyrinth can wait a few more minutes. I need to speak with Toby anyways._

Begrudgingly Sarah followed Amy down the stairs to where everyone was located in the den. Robert and Karen were waiting with huge smiles on their faces.

"Glad to see you're up baby." Robert spoke and he did look younger as he hugged his daughter tightly.

Karen sat back in her chair, rubbing her forehead, and Toby bounded to his sister and hugged her as tightly as he could. Sarah forced a smile and ruffled his hair, kneeling down to him.

"Do you still remember the funny man, what he looked like?" Sarah asked, peering deeply into her brother's eyes.

"Of course Sarah," Toby gestured wildly with his hair, "he had funny hair and funny eyes."

"Sarah what is the meaning of this nonsense? What 'funny' man?" Karen demanded. Robert frowned and Amy raised her eyebrows.

Sarah just smiled, "and what about the creatures?"

Toby giggled, "The ones that kicked the chickens?" And Toby kicked the air to emphasize.

"Sarah," Robert started but Sarah held up her hand, stopping him.

"Yes Tobes, the Goblins." Sarah spoke.

"Sarah seriously, you have Toby believing he met a funny man who had _Goblins _is it still that Labyrinth obsession? I mean I haven't even taken mine that far." Amy spoke and Sarah shook her head.

"Not an obsession," Sarah stated plainly and then turned back to Toby, "did you like the funny man?"

Toby giggled, "of course he sang and played with me," Toby looked at Sarah quizzically, "Duh!"

"Sarah, come on now you've let this go on far enough." Robert ordered but his daughter ignored him.

Sarah furrowed her eyebrows, "Now Toby can you explain how it is you still remember all that? You were only a year old when I made that wish."

Karen stood suddenly, angry, and Robert made to break them apart but Amy spoke her eyes widening.

"I don't know what Sarah's getting at but let her speak, let Toby answer her." Amy asked for and unconsciously took a step forward.

Toby growled in annoyance at being asked so many dumb questions, "Well he visited me in my room duh! He told me a story," Toby looked around impatiently, "he told me he'd give me my," Now Toby had to think, "mem-ry back," Toby grimaced, trying to remember everything, "He said if I rember it'll help you but I don't know how, I'm frustpated Sarah! Ugh!"

Sarah grinned and hugged her little brother, "That's great Tobes."

Karen was flat out shocked, "Tobias Anthony Williams did you just say a man came into your room?"

Toby just growled, aggravated at his mom, and Sarah chuckled, "don't worry Toby they don't know what we do."

That made Toby look up, a sparkle in his eyes, "like a-a-seek-wet?"

"Yes Toby, a secret." Sarah spoke and stood, now confident.

Amy was exasperated as she spoke next, "Sarah why are you lying to your brother, what's going on?"

Sarah frowned at her friend, standing tall, "I would never lie to Toby Amy and I suggest you think before you speak next time. Now, I have to go, I have to go to him and don't stop me this time."

"Just how do you think you're going to go anywhere Sarah, we're not going to let you leave this house." Robert spoke indignantly.

Sarah sighed, annoyed, "Dad I don't have to leave through any door. I'll explain later. I have to go now."

Sarah looked around for Karen's favorite mirror; it was a large floor length mirror in the back corner of the den. Karen loved to look at herself and it was that that Sarah strode towards.

Magic swam through her veins as she walked forward; it was like an electric current as she neared the mirror. Her strength was coming back, she could feel it intensifying as she began to call on the powers she thought were forever lost.

"Sarah are you okay?" Karen and Robert asked at the same time.

Amy walked forward in slow motion. Sarah could see her friend's reflection in the clear glass. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Winking, Sarah placed a hand on the glass and the coldness sent a shiver running through Sarah. She imagined it parting like smooth butter.

"Don't worry everybody I'll come back this time. I'll explain later, don't freak out. I may even take you with me sometime." Sarah spoke breathlessly. Every expression in the mirror's reflection was different.

Robert and Karen looked worried; they probably feared for Sarah's sanity, Toby's expression was a wide knowing grin as he called out for her to bring a goblin for him to play with and Amy looked unsettled.

Sarah felt the cool glass ripple beneath her fingers, like water, and then she stepped through to the place she thought she could never go again, the place she longed for with the person she longed for more than anyone else. Sarah didn't even register the surprised gasps and singular scream coming from the den on the other side.

It was late in the day and very cloudy as Sarah's feet found the cold stone of the labyrinth. She couldn't help the laughter that escaped her lips and she could almost jump for joy. She knew what her objective was, and like so many of her dreams where a flash of gold was just out of reach, Sarah was in search of something precious.

Sarah thought back to when Jareth had shown her the labyrinth for the first time. The labyrinth had been so mysterious and frightening because she was just a girl. Jareth had posed a threat then and now it was him she was seeking. Sarah felt giddy as she went on her way, making sure to touch everything to be sure it was real.

As Sarah walked through the gates to the labyrinth Sarah could feel the ghost of all those years ago flash before her eyes. It had seemed to take forever just to make it to the hedge maze part of the labyrinth, not to mention the junk yard lady's paradise. Nothing had gone right when she'd last seen Jareth. She'd let her hot temper get the best of her. She had overreacted way more than she should have.

Sarah wound her way through the glittery stone walls and over the fallen tree limbs, taking in the sight like precious water, and waving to the eye mosses, letting herself completely smile. There was a gentle breeze in the air and with it was carried the smell of peaches. An invisible thread was leading her in the right direction and she trusted it completely. What she couldn't stop though, was the nausea when she got close along with the nervousness that swept over her.

Then, as she turned a final corner she saw him. His back was to her and from what she could tell he was wearing his white poet shirt and his gray breeches. Sarah's breath caught when she saw his beautiful wild blond hair. His gloved hands were clasped behind his back and he was staring up at the cloudy sky that was a dark shade of gray from the threat of a storm. Sarah wanted to stare at him forever. Sarah then knew, without a shadow of a doubt, her feelings for him.

She stood there, her breath caught and her heart pounding away. She was feeling quite dizzy again as she drank in the sight like it was more than water, like it was precious life force without which she would not survive. The emerald green dress swayed with the wind and she stared in awe as his blond hair blew along with it. She never wanted to look away. Sarah felt foolish for ever thinking differently of the beautiful creature before her and it was only when she thought she'd never see him again that he affected her so. Sarah knew to never again bottle her feelings up.

Sarah moved and a twig cracked beneath her bare foot. Jareth heard and turned to face her.

The instant their eyes connected Jareth froze in disbelief and Sarah was shocked. Her breath hitched when her eyes fell upon the tear that streamed down the Goblin King's face.

Jareth's mismatched eyes bored into Sarah's hazel ones. "Oh Precious," Jareth sighed in relieved yearning.

Sarah stood planted in her spot, not trusting her jelly-like legs at that moment, and then Jareth's hand jerked a little. He held it up as if he longed to touch her, like he had so long ago when she turned him down. _Not anymore,_ Sarah swore to herself and then closed the distance between them.

Reaching out was so easy in the pink and purple light of the sunset, the air smelling like honeysuckle; to take Jareth's gloved hand in her own was the simplest thing in the world. Sarah folded her delicate hand in his gloved one and traced her fingers along the contours of his hand. The glove was smooth and cool to the touch but it aggravated Sarah.

"You know I've never seen you without your gloves..." Sarah muttered and slid it off his hand. Jareth watched her intently, his mismatched eyes tracing over her every movement.

Sarah sighed as his bare hand was at last revealed to her. It was as pale and smooth and almost glowing in the afternoon's light, and it was just as she dreamed. Jareth let out a small, surprised moan as Sarah traced her index finger up his palm and folded their fingers together. The action was so mundane but it held so much meaning between the two of them.

"Sarah." Jareth whispered her name and Sarah looked up finally, aware of the close proximity between them. She could feel his chest relaxing and constricting with each breath. His poet shirt was halfway opened and Sarah could see the beautiful skin beneath, how lean his muscles were. She fought the urge to touch, somehow knowing she would have plenty of time for that later. His warm breath caressed Sarah's skin and Sarah looked to his lips. They were parted in awe so Sarah did the only natural thing: Jareth's face was so soft and smooth as her hand caressed his cheek.

"I'm so sorry." Sarah whispered, yearning for him to see how much she cared in her expression, and then leaned up to meet the Goblin King's lips.

There was no pause, no question; Jareth immediately moved his lips against hers, his yearning, and his feelings clearly evident as his lips enfolded with hers. Sarah moaned as he encircled his arms around her. His lips felt like warm crushed velvet. Sarah moaned into the kiss and that sound was music to the king's ears.

Jareth was warmth and sunlight and Sarah couldn't get enough. She wound her fingers through his golden hair and grasped it tightly between her fingers, afraid if she let go this utter bliss would end. Jareth's lips were warm and moist and tasted amazingly like every one of Sarah's favorite fruits as Sarah opened her mouth to allow his tongue entrance.

The Goblin King explored Sarah's mouth with fervor, tasting her and moaning in utter happiness. He stopped though, and broke the kiss. "Sarah," he warned, his eyes searching hers, pleading, "Do not continue this if you have no intention of staying with me. I do not share, and once I claim it is forever."

Sarah met his eyes and grinned, "Don't worry so much Goblin King I don't intend on ever denying you again," Sarah winked, "unless you deserve it."

There was a flash of brilliant white canine and a growl rose in Jareth's chest with his answering grin. His hand trailed goose bumps up Sarah's flesh, ending cupping the back of her neck with his long and slender fingers.

"Sarah Sarah, getting yourself into more trouble before we even begin?" Jareth asked, dipping his head to place a gentle bite on her neck. The warm flick of his tongue and the gentle pressure of his teeth sent shockwave after shockwave of pleasure.

Sarah couldn't stop the moan, "Would you have it any other way?"

Jareth chuckled against her neck and the vibrations drove Sarah crazy with glee, and Jareth couldn't hide his joy as the bare hand at her neck stroked her hair and the other one gripped around her slender waist, "Of course not Precious, and the dress is absolutely breathtaking on you."

Wrapping her arms around Jareth's neck Sarah nipped his earlobe, the soft skin cool to her touch, and she reveled in the shudder that violently swept through the Goblin King.

Without further thought Sarah pulled back and sighed, "I am sorry Jareth, about our last argument. I overreacted and was a bit delusional, so much had happened but I was a stupid girl and I reacted like a child."

Jareth place a long finger to Sarah's lips, stifling her. Sarah couldn't stop herself from gently kissing the smooth skin as Jareth talked.

"No Sarah I am sorry. I overreacted as well. The blame is to fall on the both of us and it was my fault that I could not contact you. I reacted angrily and it put you in jeopardy," Jareth paused and pain unfolded in his eyes, "I watched you helplessly as you went through all that you did. I couldn't go to you because of the spell we both unknowingly had placed on each other that day. I've never been so terrified before."

Sarah frowned, "but then how did me breaking the other spell undo the new one?"

Jareth smiled dazzlingly and Sarah had to reach up to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes to the touch, his smile lingering happily.

"Precious, you must realize one simple fact. The spell we both placed on each other was a relatively small one compared to the larger one from almost five years ago."

Jareth wound his arms around Sarah's waist and she laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes trailing up to the evening sky. "It's so beautiful, the sunset, everything's beautiful here," Sarah whispered against the warmth of his shoulder and the curve of his neck.

Jareth chuckled, "it's all you Precious; you are the beauty of my labyrinth, my muse."

Sarah's eyes widened but then Jareth started swaying with Sarah. She closed her eyes as his voice softly sang the song he had sung to her in the ballroom, only editing it for the present, for so much had changed since he'd first cooed it to her.

_There's such a warm love,_

_Deep in your eyes,_

_A kind of precious jewel,_

_Opened and closed_

_Within your eyes,_

_I'll place the sky_

_Within your eyes._

Sarah sighed into the curve of his neck and reveled in the comfort of his arms and the vibrations of his chest as he sang for her.

_There's such a healed heart,_

_Beating so fast,_

_Discovering new dreams,_

_Our love that will last_

_Within your heart,_

_I'll place the moon_

_Within your heart._

Jareth circled his fingers through her dark hair as the other hand swept loving strokes up her back, the both of them were in a secret bliss as they danced in the evening light. The stars had begun poking their faces out, the moon slowly stretching itself awake to join them in their dance.

_As the pain swept through,_

_Made no sense for you,_

_Every thrill had gone,_

_Wasn't too much fun at all,_

_But I'll be there for you,_

_As the world falls down._

Sarah placed tiny kisses on Jareth's neck and shoulders, moving up to his jaw, nuzzling his cheek. His face was alight with joy and Sarah met his eyes as he continued their song with Sarah humming along with him, the both of them promising.

_I'll paint you mornings of gold,_

_I'll spin you valentine evenings,_

_Though we're strangers 'til now_

_We're choosing the path_

_Between the stars,_

_I'll lay my love_

_Between the stars._

Jareth cut the song off to plant a passionate kiss upon Sarah's awaiting lips, this time they let it continue on for a little while longer before breaking apart. Sarah was sure she was going to pass out from all of the amazing smells and tastes. Jareth was the best kind of drug, but Sarah had read somewhere before how seductive they fae could be. Sarah laughed inwardly. _Well then he can seduce me all he wants._

Mischievous giggling echoed from all around and Sarah finally looked at their other surroundings. There was a large audience of goblins and miscellaneous labyrinthine creatures watching the pair.

Sarah knew she should feel embarrassed but the look in Jareth's eyes told her everything; She would have to get used to audiences because he wasn't letting her go again.

"Well I hope you all enjoyed your show." Sarah spoke to the creatures who all laughed at that statement.

"All of you disperse!" Jareth commanded of his subjects but they remained.

One goblin walked forward, "Is the lady gonna become our queensie?"

Sarah could almost feel the embarrassment creep over the proud Goblin King.

"That is none of your concern GaggleSpurt."

Sarah was grinning from ear to ear when Jareth looked down, and Sarah took his hands again. "Is the fearsome Goblin King actually embarrassed?"

Jareth cocked an intricately arched eyebrow, "and what if I am Sarah? What are you going to do about it?"

"Request something of you Jareth, King of Goblins." Sarah stated; her eyes proud.

"What is that Precious?"

A devilish grin crossed Sarah's features, "Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

Relieved laughter escaped Jareth's lips and his voice grew husky, "As long as you let me rule you, you will have everything that you desire. You already have my love."

Sarah reached up and pressed her lips to Jareth's then she bit devilishly down his neck, "and you know you already have my love as well."

"Oh Precious do you know what you do to me?" Jareth sighed.

Sarah laughed, "I know what I'm going to do to you." She added deviously.

Jareth's eyes glazed over for a moment, "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"Without a doubt," Sarah stated.

"Such a pity," Jareth trailed.

Sarah furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

"That you wouldn't like an audience," Jareth joked and Sarah smacked his chest before he pulled her into another breathless kiss.

"Jareth?" Sarah asked as his lips caressed hers.

"Yes?"

"How _did _you save me?"

There was a chuckle, "I'll explain later, love, there's plenty of time for that _after._"

Sarah caught the hint and grinned. "You think I'm that easy?"

Jareth's eyes widened and he shook his head, "On the contrary precious, you are the hardest woman I've ever dealt with."

"Perfect." Sarah muttered, content.


	9. Blinded

**AN: So…it's been a while. **

**Lots of stuff happened. I'm sorry. I had writers block and then I couldn't post because the town I live in got blown away… literally... Ha-ha... I'm serious. We just now got electricity so we can start getting back to our lives. We're lucky the place we live in was only inches away from being hit… Lol annnyywaaayyys. Read, review and I reeeeeeaalllly hope you enjoy this chapter, it's been so long! **

**Oh, and on another note: I'm scared this story is becoming epic. I want to do it a certain way but I'm afraid I may lose readers, but I can't help it. I love what I love and I loves my drama, tragedy, happy ending stuff and a certain something else so I apologize. Please forgive me but if any of you have read my previous fanfics for 'Blood and Chocolate,' you'll know what I'm writing about. *Sighs* Ima do it anyways cause I loves it, and that's what this is all about right? Not for reviews or notifications but for writing what you love, and that's how this is gonna stay.**

A blast of white hot sunlight struck Sarah Williams in the face and she shot up, sitting straight up in bed. The room ahead of her was a bright blur and she shielded her eyes. Immediately Sarah went to pull her fluffy white blankets over her head but as she pulled the covers down instead of the white she found her vision darkening to something along the lines of blue but she couldn't place her finger on it. The next thing Sarah noticed was that the bed she was in didn't sink in from years of use. It gave in slightly with her weight, but it was formfitting and oh so cozy. _Last night I had the strangest, greatest dream that the Goblin King and I…_Sarah stopped herself in astonished mid-thought.

The scent of sunlight and peaches erupted into Sarah's nose. The smell surrounded her. Slowly Sarah moved to pull the covers down. The blue of the covers slid back to reveal two things at once: That she was not in her bedroom, and that she was unabashedly naked.

Realization finally dawned on Sarah as the last bit of grogginess fled. She looked to where the source of sunlight had come from to see that ceiling length windows from one end of the huge room to the other had had their curtain's drawn by a squat she-goblin who stood staring sheepishly up at Sarah, her arms behind her back.

"What are you doing in here?" Sarah asked, quickly pulling the sheet up to her chest in an attempt at concealing herself.

"His Majesty asked that we wakes you up and brings you breakfast in bed," the goblin lady began, her voice was crackly and sounded like feminine gravel, "Oh! Forgives me Miss, I done forgots what His Majesty told me gives me a moment please."

Sarah nodded and then blushed, "of course, but could you turn around for a moment?"

The little woman nodded and muttered thank you a few times before turning around.

_I wonder where Jareth went. _Sarah thought as she pulled the thick covers back.

Sarah reveled in the silky smooth of the bed sheets one last second before scouring the room for her clothes, which were nowhere in sight so Sarah slid out of the obscenely large bed and her bare feet caressed the soft, ornately decorated rug. Sarah dug her toes into the softness. Clearly Jareth wasn't one to go uncomfortable. Vaguely Sarah remembered entering that room the night before, but she had paid very little attention to detail with anything other than the Goblin King.

A blush swept up Sarah's cheeks and she could almost dance.

"Oh!" A startled voice called out behind Sarah. The goblin woman looked like some great epiphany had come over her. Sarah barely had time to duck behind the safety of the bed before the goblin turned around. "I remember now Miss! He saids, he dids, for me to see that yous gets a bath and that he will come for yous shortly. Me thinks he got another runner this morning so he had to leave."

Sarah smiled at the poor goblin. "Thank you for telling me. Now could you direct me to the bathroom?"

When Sarah got a blank stare she groaned. "Where can I bathe?"

The goblin's eyes widened, "Oh! This way miss."

Sarah draped the gold sheet around her body and followed the she-goblin across the room to a door draped in gold drawings of a sun setting in a vast sky, stars and the moon gave the door a surreal look. Sarah wanted to touch it but the door swung open, revealing the room inside.

Jareth wasn't joking when he had said this place was a mixture of old and new. The room was a modern day throwback. There was a massive tub taking up most of the room. It could have been a whirlpool tub, because it had all sorts of places for jets and things Sarah had no name for.

There was even a shower placed in the corner. Sarah smiled and ran her fingers along the counter where the sink was a waiting gold jewel. Jareth alternately mixed between lavishly royal and comfort. The goblin woman waited patiently for Sarah to go over the entire bathroom, marveling. Finally Sarah turned.

"You can go now if you want." Sarah suggested.

"Do you likes?" The woman asked.

"Of course, it's beautiful in here. Um, where are my clothes?"

"Oh! His Majesty just tolds me to tells you to think up your own attire, and that he doesn't have his queen's chambers stocked yet." The little goblin spoke, and suddenly remembering some other appointment, ducked out of the door and finally left Sarah alone.

_So he doesn't have his queen's chambers stocked _yet_? I'll have to ask about that._

Sarah let the golden sheet slide off her bare frame and she bent over to turn the water own. In a moment's time steaming water was pouring out of the faucet. As Sarah waited she used her magic to conjure up some fragrant bubble bath. She thought of honeysuckles, and of how sweet they smelled. The smells seemed to work their magic as Sarah finally placed a foot inside the water, then another, at last sinking into the steaming wonderland that was different colors of bubbles as she pleased.

The hot water did wonders to wake Sarah up as she laid her head back against a bath pillow she wanted.

"Did anyone ever tell you just how luscious you look in a bath?" A voice came from across the room, full of lust and longing.

The voice should have startled Sarah but she kind of expected it at that point. "No one's ever seen me in a bath before, besides you. Ever heard of knocking?"

Sarah looked up, her eyes smiling as they met Jareth's from across the room. He was wearing a white poet and his pants were as they normally were. His face was overwhelmed with joy.

"This is my bathing room Sarah." Jareth spoke, testing the waters of the conversation.

Sarah raked her eyes up and down the length of Jareth's body. He was acutely aware of the visual raping Sarah was giving him so he grinned, showing his sharp canines as he walked forward, stopping at the foot of the tub.

Sarah looked up, her eyes telling him all he yearned to know. "If this is yours then join me."

Desire and pain swirled together in Jareth's eyes. His voice was husky with the mixture as he spoke. "I want to more than anything Precious," his eyes raked down to where the bubbles concealed her from him, "oh how I want to."

Sarah tried to hide her embarrassment at being turned down. "Is there a problem?"

Jareth's gaze reached Sarah. "Yes and no. I'll explain later Love. Enjoy your bath," Jareth placed a kiss on Sarah's forehead, "We'll have time for play later. I promise."

Sarah nodded but pulled Jareth down for a lingering kiss, their lips dancing together in a way that they could not at that moment.

Jareth sighed longingly before he headed out the door. Sarah contemplated rape.

After the bath Sarah stood in front of the floor length mirror trying to decide what to wear. She figured she'd wear something in a royal blue to match Jareth's lavishly decorated room. She decided on a flowing blue dress with gold trim. Jareth's room had inspired her.

Sarah decided nothing could spoil her mood. Memories from the night before kept swirling around, making her giddy. In her mind was a flash of gold, a soft touch, lips trailing on skin, hips grinding. Sarah was overwhelmed with the heady emotions flowing through her.

The little she-goblin returned with her breakfast, which Sarah had to eat alone but that didn't bother her. Instead she was able to contemplate what could be going on with Jareth.

Sarah gave up waiting on Jareth and wound up wandering down the twisting, changing pathways that were the castle's corridors. _I think I'll go find Hoggle but what will I tell him about Jareth and me? Oh never mind. _

The corridor lead onward infinitely and minutes seemed to stretch into hours. Eventually Sarah came upon Jareth's empty throne room. The thirteen hour clock chimed the hour and Sarah glanced up at it. Whoever was running the labyrinth still had a good ten hours to go it seemed like.

Goblins were crashing crates and chickens were flying through the room, clucking their annoyance at the little fiends hurting them. _It's no wonder Jareth treats them so harshly._

When they saw Sarah all the goblins came rushing forward expectantly, all of their ugly contorted faces alight with curiosity.

"Well?" Sarah asked to the crowd, all of whom were devoid of any other emotion other than exited gawking.

One goblin knight clambered forward. "What does Lady Sarah want?"

Sarah shrugged, glancing around the room, "I don't really know. I'm just passing time until Jareth comes for me I guess, any suggestions?"

"I know nothing Miss. I just guard the castle. It's alls me and my family before me has ever done." The little knight spoke. He was a humble little thing and Sarah felt fond of him.

Sarah smiled at him and patted him on his bald head. "Thanks for your help."

The great big doors to the castle opened and Jareth entered in his best king's outfit, flanked on both of his sides by tall men wearing black robes. Sarah felt her stomach drop at the sight of them. They made her feel queasy.

Jareth, though, beamed when he saw her and the two men disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Jareth waved his hands through the smoke, trying to dissipate it, and then he strode forward to Sarah, a bright grin on his face.

"How has your day been Precious?" Jareth asked as he opened his arms, pulling Sarah into his warmth. Immediately Sarah breathed in her precious sunlight.

"It's been amazing, I mean I've been wandering around but I've met interesting goblins." Sarah made an excuse for herself.

Jareth chuckled, a slender finger rubbing his chin, then he tilted his head to look at her proud features. "Something tells me you haven't been thinking about goblins today Sarah."

The blush that crept up her cheeks answered Jareth's question and he nuzzled her hair, kissing her forehead again.

His tone changed in an instant though. "Sarah I've promised you since yesterday that I'd answer your questions. Let us go back to my chambers so we can talk in private. I'm afraid I'm being watched and I don't take kindly to spies." Jareth spat the word spies and Sarah shivered.

All around her the shadows suddenly grew and changed and that uneasy feeling passed through Sarah once again. Jareth kept a hand at the small of her back, leading her through his Escher room with ease. Sarah noticed that he kept looking out of the corner of his eyes. He was watching for something, and the thought of something doing any harm to her or him made Sarah nervous and angry.

Around every twist and turn, upside down or horizontal on the walls, as they continued on Sarah kept thinking she saw something flash out of the corner of her eyes. It reminded her of the shadow things that she ran from when she escaped Daire's castle. That thought didn't sit well with Sarah. Her nerves made her itchy with worry.

Jareth's hand at her waist was steady and protective over his treasure, his jewel. He wasn't about to give her up this time.

Sarah noticed Jareth flinch ever so slightly whenever they went into the corridor leading up to the King's chambers. The statues on both sides of the walls, gargoyles, were menacing in the torch light and they cast strange shadows against the walls. Jareth's hand tightened on Sarah's back and his pace quickened faintly. He almost didn't breathe as he led Sarah through.

At last the ornately carved door stood in front of the pair. Sarah couldn't help but glance to her right, where the Queen's chamber's door stood strong next to the King's door, and the Jareth swung open the door and ushered Sarah inside.

Once they got inside Jareth slammed the door shut and conjured up crystal after crystal, throwing them about the room in a frenzied manner. His eyes were wild, animal. Sarah held her breath, waiting.

A long sigh escaped the Goblin King's lips and finally his tense shoulders slacked.

"What's going on?" Sarah asked simply, coming forward to place her hand on Jareth's shoulder.

"Let's sit Sarah, first. Please?" Jareth spoke, his voice sounding tired and old. Sarah noticed how strained his features were.

Sarah nodded and walked over to his leather couch, sitting down on the smooth leather that was so cool to the touch. It reminded her of his gloved hands. Jareth followed, taking a seat in his huge black leather armchair, keeping in touch, once again with a modern look in a medieval setting.

"What did you do when you conjured all those crystals?" Sarah began asking, motioning around the room.

Jareth arched an eyebrow. "I was securing the area. I don't like feeling threatened in my own home; it's very degrading."

Sarah nodded her hazel eyes sad, worried, "but what are you feeling threatened with Jareth, what's going on?"

Jareth winced and then leaned forward, his elbows resting on his legs, his hand entwined together with his chin resting on them. "Sarah, an invasion is being threatened, one that can destroy my subjects and you very well know just how innocent they are. They mean no harm. So you can see the predicament I'm in."

Sarah gasped, "An invasion? Who's doing that?" Sarah feared the answer though and cringed.

"You know who." Jareth hissed, closing his eyes.

Guilt laced its way through Sarah and she closed her eyes, tilting her head downward. She was normally so proud and defiant, but the thought of her friends, all of them, being threatened was too much. "I'm sorry."

In an instant Sarah felt cool hands touch her head on either side of her face, the long fingers encased in black leather stroking, calming. "Sarah Williams look at me." The voice demanded.

Sarah refused though, studying the ground intently. All she could think about was Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus. It had been so long since she had seen her dearest friends and now she was scared for them, and then she raised her head to meet Jareth's mismatched eyes. All she could see was the passion he normally hid from her but he let it seep from him so she would know. _I can't lose him now; what if something happens to him?_ Sarah lowered her head again, willing herself to block out her horrible thought. _It's my entire fault. I'm so stupid!_

The hands moved to cup her chin though, tilting her view up to his predatory eyes, alight with so much emotion it overwhelmed Sarah. "Sarah you have _nothing _to be sorry for. You have done nothing wrong. Precious," Jareth cooed her name, letting a slender hand trail down to her waist, caressing her skin through the material of the dress, "I am being threatened of an invasion because I invaded another Fae's kingdom. When I rescued you I did so out of my rights, and so Daire believes it is his right to snatch you back." Jareth's eyes became black orbs, "And I will not let that happen, not after all this time."

Sarah felt an overwhelming and warm sense of pride surround her. Without even thinking about it she reached up and pulled Jareth's face down to hers, smothering him with her kiss. He chuckled against her lips.

Sarah smiled too and then she remembered that he hadn't explained everything yet.

"Jareth," Sarah began, her eyes searching his, and then she rested her head on his chest. _How could this man always seem so predatory and innocent at the same damn time? _"Who were those men that entered the throne with you? Why were you so nervous? Who was spying on us?"

The chuckle the Goblin King emitted vibrated in his chest and Sarah sighed against the pounding of his heart. "Slow down Precious we have time. It's quite a few hours before the labyrinth's new runner runs out of time and he's not even past the front entrance."

Sarah groaned and nuzzled against him, wishing he had his poet's shirt back on. The kingly clothes he was adorning at that moment weren't really suitable for intimate contact.

They stayed like that for a little while, Jareth holding Sarah, trying to gather his thoughts for the best explanation. Finally Sarah pulled herself out of his grasp and demanded an answer; that she'd waited long enough.

Jareth let out a slow breath, "Sarah in order to answer your question I'll have to go back to the beginning." The Goblin King looked to Sarah maintaining eye contact. "Daire and I used to be mates, the very best; a long time ago. It was back before I was even the ruler of this labyrinth, but then everything chaged when Daire and I both came upon these two kingdoms, this labyrinth of course was the home of the goblins and many other otherwise harmless creatures and the other labyrinth.

"It was the home of far more fearsome beings. Originally I was to be given that labyrinth to rule since I had the power to tame the creatures there, but Daire would not _dirty _his hands with goblin filth. Besides, he said, I acted more like them anyways with my atrocious acts. He meant my loving mischief and he didn't want the task of directing runners through such an easy labyrinth.

"The fool didn't really even know just how powerful this labyrinth is, how old and untamed. In truth it really is more powerful than the other one. I can see now why they gave me this labyrinth. They knew Daire would vie for the other one and they let the idiot have it. Instead they gave me the more powerful one, which I immediately fixed to suit me by editing the maze which was really too simple back then.

"The ruler before me didn't really care about abused children; he just sat on his arse all day eating. I made everything here better and that's when Daire realized just what he had neglected. His labyrinth was really only filled with fiends, nothing of any real value and all the other Fae laughed at him. He grew to hate me; desperately yearning for something he could not have he became insanely jealous. What was worse was when the Fae women vied for my affections and I turned them down. They wouldn't go to Daire and he couldn't see why I didn't want them. He thought I thought I was too good so he began to wonder just who could be good enough for me.

"And then I came upon a small girl playing in a park. Something about her changed me and over the years I am still trying to figure it out." Jareth paused, grinning down at Sarah before he bent down for a quick kiss. "But once Daire found my obsession with the girl he grew affection for her as well; although his way of showing off is with bravado.

"He uses fear to get what he wants. He turned his kingdom into a nightmare. That's what he does, and what he wants is you Sarah. I want you so therefore he wants you. You are a rare jewel Precious. But Daire won't try to woo you; he'd rather force himself on you. He feeds off of fear.

"Those shadow creatures you saw me with are his subjects, well some of his creations. Since I invaded his kingdom to rescue a mortal girl he has permission to keep an eye on me, but that's not the half of it. He has spies in the shadows, waiting for the chance to steal you away. But I won't let that happen. Don't fret."

Jareth stopped talking in favor of placing kisses up and down Sarah's neck. Shivers swept through her and her breath hitched. There was so much to think about, but with each feather light caress of his warm lips pressing against her skin Sarah found reality floating away, leaving in place the fae before her.

Everything faded away except the warmth from the man beside her, his lips pressing her into sweet oblivion. Nothing mattered in the world except his fingers trailing down the length of her body, leaving goose bumps on her flesh as he gently bit down on her neck. Then his lips traveled upwards, claiming her and she opened her mouth willingly.

"Jareth," Sarah muttered against the warm velvet of his lips, "I thought we were discussing Daire." Sarah had to stop speaking because the words became a moan.

"I'm done talking for now Precious," Jareth whispered, his voice husky with desire, "We have a few free hours and I'd like to use them wisely."

Despite the circumstances Sarah laughed and stood up with Jareth sitting on the couch. The image was so bizarre, a mixture of two different worlds. Sarah's eyes beamed devilishly.

Jareth's eyes glazed over as Sarah slowly undid the ties in the back of her dress. Then the dress slowly slid down her body, revealing her creamy skin to him. Jareth's gaze slowly traveled up and down her body, now bare to him. She had used her magic to make her underclothes disappear.

Jareth began to reach up to touch that body he worshipped but Sarah snickered. "Nah ah Goblin King, we have some unfinished business to take care of in a certain bath."

Sarah placed her hands on her bare hips and slowly slid them up her upper half, enticing Jareth and then she turned, flipping her long dark hair behind her, and slinked toward the other room, where she already magicked a bath that Jareth could hear roaring in the other room. Sweetly seductive aromas poured from the area as Sarah disappeared. Jareth was close behind her, stripping off his outfit as he stalked toward her, a predator on the hunt. Then he was there in the room with his Sarah and for the next few hours nothing could part the pair as they danced together in an intimate gala.


	10. Evanescing Remains

**REWRITE: In response to a recent review from **_Princess of the Fae_** I'm going to edit the ending here and make it a little bit clearer. I do realize what you're saying. In order for the sequel to be written I still have to do it but I'll change how it happens so it'll not seem as just thrown out there. Thanks for the review. It helped me see what I needed to fix.**

**AN: Okay, it has been a while as I have had an enormous, tremendous amount of writer's block along with me finally starting college. I am so ashamed of my procrastination. A dream I had last night though, pulled me out of my writer's block. Go figure that a dream would do that. XD Okay, for the big announcement, my previous worries have become acknowledged and now this story will indeed become epic. To accommodate the ever expanding plot I'm ending part one here.**

**This is the last chapter of 'Into Forever,' and a short one at that. The first chapter of the sequel will be published within this week. I'm working on it now. The story is getting ever larger so I'm going to have to split it before it becomes too long. There is a LOT more to come so I'll close this story shut here and begin the new.**

**Thank you all for bearing through this with me, the long wait and bland previous chapter, but this last chapter is where it gets serious and Sarah finally rises as a heroine instead of the damsel in distress, sort of. It's kind of hard to describe, there's a lot to it.**

**There's a lot more of this story to come. It is my longest story to date and I am proud of that. **

**I really hope you all enjoy my ever expanding plot-line, and I hope you all enjoy Sarah's attitude as it changes as well. As always review, review, and review if only to tell me what you think, ideas, questions. All are greatly appreciated and they help me grow and expand as a writer. Thank you all for staying with me through all of this. **

**The song is a Jessica Simpson one: I Have Loved You. I've used it for another story but it really speaks to this one more so. Yeah, it's pop, oh well. I don't listen to it much but this song is so beautiful. It's worth it.**

_Remember that blue crystal sky?_

_The sun reflected in your eyes._

_You kissed me unexpectedly._

_The moment I just can't forget,_

_We filled the air with promises_

_And sealed them up so tenderly._

_But life never asks you what you want._

_It's just gonna have its way,_

_And sometimes it doesn't give like it takes._

_If I never see your face,_

_If wings take you away from me,_

_And tomorrow never happens baby, _

_If the world comes tumbling down,_

_And crumbles all around us,_

_Fate turns cruel you're on your knees,_

_So desperate for one truth,_

_Know that I have loved you._

_Don't think I'll write another letter_

_Or watch another pink sunset without thinking about you._

_I take a walk along the blue sea side._

_How will I sleep at night?_

_How will I wipe the tears from your eyes?_

_If I never see your face,_

_If wings take you away from me,_

_And tomorrow never happens baby, _

_If the world comes tumbling down,_

_And crumbles all around us,_

_Fate turns cruel you're on your knees,_

_So desperate for one truth,_

_Know that I have loved you._

_Without a single hesitation,_

_Without thought or reservation,_

_Baby I'll be waiting even if,_

_I never see your face,_

_If wings take you away from me,_

_And tomorrow never happens baby, _

_If the world comes tumbling down,_

_And crumbles all around us,_

_Fate turns cruel you're on your knees,_

_So desperate for one truth,_

_Know that I have loved you…_

Crimson light erupted from the bay window in Sarah's room. Sarah barely had time to react before glass shattered inwardly, blasting shards across the marble flooring. Choking back a scream, Sarah darted across the glass, careful not to trip and gash herself.

The view outside was heart-breaking, earth-shattering: The Labyrinth was in flames. Sarah hardly had time to register the horror before another sound reached her ears: Screaming, wailing, trilling voices echoed mournful, enraged, anguished pleas and cries from the inhabitants of the Labyrinth.

Sarah's face pulled back in mourning and terror at her beloved Labyrinth being ripped apart. There was an explosion at the 'Place of Forgetting' and Sarah's heart ached painfully.

Wide eyed and fearful for Jareth, Sarah turned and ran for the great double doors that adjoined her room with Jareth's. She already knew he wouldn't be there but that didn't stop her from trying as she tore back out the other door and raced down the corridor. Sarah passed over the 'Endless Stairs,' and ran through the empty throne room. It was even devoid of chickens.

Sarah's heart echoed painfully in her chest and she held back gasps of agonized grief as she searched for her Jareth. Sarah's heart lurched painfully yet again as she passed over the broken, twisted, contorted bodies of the various inhabitants of the Labyrinth. More dead Goblins lay sprawled out, their faces pulled back in terror as they had met their end.

There was still no sign of life as Sarah ran full out for the hedge maze, where a great blazing fire turned to black the beautiful emeralds. There was no noise other than the fire crackling and hissing as it consumed everything she loved.

Sarah's silky black dress billowed behind her as a gust of wind slapped her in her face. _I must do something! I cannot let it end like this._

Then, somewhere to her right Sarah sensed something move and jerked as ten creatures bearing flaming swords surrounded her. They were repugnant and terrifying with black featherless wings sprouting from their back and their faces were pinched in, almost bat-like.

"No!" Sarah screamed, anger and rage building from inside of her and she let loose a blast of energy that knocked the creatures backwards and took off running through the hedges, losing them within a few seconds. Sarah knew the labyrinth better than anyone except for Jareth and Hoggle.

Sarah tried to call out for Jareth but her voice cracked as she strained to scream. There was still no sign of life other than those creatures.

When Sarah finally made it to the stone part of the labyrinth everything around her seemed to freeze. There was no sign of the fires or of anything but death. The very thought chilled Sarah to the core. She proceeded slowly, and perked her ears to listen as best she could.

There was a muffled noise coming from the fountain waterfall where she and Jareth had been the day before. Sarah slowly crept forward, ignoring the persistent shaking of her hands and the quivering of her knees threatening to give in. _Where is Jareth? Why didn't he come for me?_

Gingerly Sarah peeked around the corner and her hand flew to her mouth as a gasp issued from her lips. There, in the clearing, bound and gagged, was Jareth the Goblin King. He was on his knees with a shiny silver sword pointed at his throat. Jareth was wearing his usual Goblin King attire, the poet shirt and tight breeches. It looked as though he had only gone out for a casual stroll when he was attacked.

Poised at the end of the sword was Daire, wearing crimson battle armor than shone menacingly in the glare of the moon. Sarah held back her fear as something else swept along her veins, something more menacing and meaningful than petty fear. Rage and hate boiled through Sarah and she called upon what magic Jareth had gifted her and strode forward into the clearing.

Jareth's eyes widened in fear as he saw Sarah step into the clearing, bearing as much a regal appearance as he had ever bore.

"Stop this now," Sarah ordered. Confidence wound its way through Sarah and she found the words easily enough. She was not afraid. With Jareth humbled, bent to his knees, Sarah would have to be the voice of reason.

A grin spread across Daire's features and he raised a pale finger, "Nah ah Sarah. I call the shots here love. You do as I say or," Daire kicked Jareth's back, causing Jareth to grunt as he collapsed forward, unable to right himself, "your king here gets what's coming to him; If you can even call him a king."

"Let him go and we'll talk."

The grin widened, "Not this time Sarah. You see I've bound Jareth's tools for magic, his hands and his insolent mouth, so there'll be no trickery here. That's his specialty isn't it? He uses tricks and riddles to rule. That's pathetic!"

Sarah glared into Daire's hollow eyes defiantly and stepped forward. She was bluffing, she knew. She hadn't yet figured out how to get them out of that situation but she was confident. Some emotion, some link of magic Sarah had yet to uncover, pulled Sarah forward. It gave her confidence beyond her years.

"What have you done to the labyrinth?"

"What should have been done long ago," Daire spat vehemently, and knocked the gag out of Jareth's mouth with a fierce yank, "Let's see what your dearly beloved has to say.

Jareth's eyes betrayed the hopelessness and gravity of the situation. Sarah realized with a start, that Jareth thought he was beaten.

"Sarah run from here while you can," Jareth began but Daire swiftly brought the blade a bare centimeter from his neck. Sarah could see Jareth's neck gently graze the blade as the breathed outward. Sarah ached to run to him.

"Let him go!" Sarah ordered again, her eyes flashing with barely concealed rage.

Daire's eyes flashed and he cocked his head, the edge of his lips twisting into an even more maniacal grin. "I think not," he paused and then purred, "Precious."

Jareth grunted against the blade and strained to speak, his velvety voice strained with the nearness of the blade, "Sarah, there's no time my Precious, just go."

Sarah looked into Jareth's eyes, feeling dejected. _Everything seemed so perfect only a few hours ago. Now it's all gone to hell. _Hazily, Sarah flashed back to just a few short hours before when Jareth and she had been melded together as one. Their souls felt joined somehow. Sarah knew she loved him and that there had to be a way to fix it. _This has all started because of me. I'm Jareth's weakness. As long as I'm around, as long as Jareth is bound to me Daire will hurt us. Wait…I have as much power as Jareth so I can…_

Sarah took another step forward and Daire moved the blade ever closer to Jareth's neck. One little nick and he could be gone. Sarah then looked at Jareth. She met his eyes and held the look as she began to gather up every magical ounce in her being.

"Jareth," Sarah began as the essence wound itself all around her, "I love you more than you can possibly imagine."

Daire observed, "I really don't see where you're going with this so I'll let you continue." Sarah ignored him and choked back the tears that threatened to spill from her beautiful eyes.

"We've been through so much Goblin King," Sarah spoke solemnly then her words turned into a smooth caress, "Jareth. I can't possibly let this continue. It's obvious now that we can't be together. I am only human after all and you're the stuff of fairy tales. I love you. I will never forget you but we cannot live fighting for our lives over each other. I will do what I must."

Sarah spoke with conviction but the tears finally escaped, sliding down her fair cheeks as she struggled to stay calm. All of that extra magic seemed to aggravate her senses and more tears welled up in her eyes as her last reserves of magic readied.

Taking only the most minimal of seconds Sarah let her gaze trail over her Goblin King, from his golden hair, always so wild, to his mismatched eyes that seemed ageless and downward over his hooked nose.

Sarah's eyes then blazed over as she began to speak, this time the power echoed and laced every word she uttered. "Daire, ruler of Nightmares and Darkness, I hereby acquit you your memories of me and your knowledge of anything relating me to the labyrinth."

Daire's eyes grew bright and he held up an armored hand, "Weren't you just giving your _Goblin _King a goodbye speech? Now this! Watch what you're doing there _Precious._ You're dealing in magic that is over your head. You've no idea the consequences."

Sarah continued, her voice booming over the entire labyrinth, "I also acquit my family and friend's knowledge of me entering the labyrinth. And everything that has transpired here tonight."

Jareth sighed, his voice a smooth caress that sent chills down Sarah's spine, "Oh Precious, what have you done?"

As Sarah spoke those last words she conjured up multiple crystals, all filled with a cloudy matter. Then Sarah threw them up in the air but as she did so something happened and the crystals fell upon Jareth and herself. A terrible tiredness swept over her. Everything tipped over. Jareth transformed into an owl as she collapsed to the ground. Everything started spinning as the ground raced up to meet Sarah and as everything went black she thought she still heard Jareth's voice, like a whispering caress, crooning her name as darkness descended while Daire laughed maniacally in the background.

**AN: So did Sarah make a good decision regarding saving Jareth and the Labyrinth? How will it affect them both since her magic backfired? Check out the sequel, 'Into Forever: Evanescence,' (not the band but the word, look it up,) and let me know what you think.**


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